


Burned Out

by TheBarkingSoldier



Category: Overwatch (Video Game)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Edging, Fic Rewrite, M/M, More tags to be added, Oral Sex, Past Relationship(s), Recreational Drug Use, Semi Onesided Mc76, Slow Burn, gabe has a bf if u remember the original fic but im not tagging that, mentions of past bulimia, past unhealthy relationships, use of marijuana
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-08-01
Updated: 2019-01-18
Packaged: 2019-06-19 23:18:51
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 15
Words: 60,780
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15520908
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheBarkingSoldier/pseuds/TheBarkingSoldier
Summary: Jack had thought fire couldn’t be fought with fire, but when his apartment sets ablaze, it’s clear that his flame has been burned out.~Modern AU in which Jack’s apartment burns down and leads to reunification with a rather familiar face.~Fic rewrite of an old incomplete fic on my old account JadeHarleaf!





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> hiii! im sky and im so excited to finally do this
> 
> the summary says this is a rewrite, and it is! i started a fic under the same name in late 2016 and intended to finish until a lot of shit hit the fan I suppose, i was under a hell of a lot of stress and it only really got worse, until now! i officially graduated by the skin of my nails and i'm ready to start writing again! i originally was just going to continue my old fic as was until i actually read it and realized how much i've improved since then and how much i'd like to change lmao
> 
> if you're a reader of the old fic, a lot has changed. characters, settings, turn of events, i almost started from scratch if i'm being completely honest with the same loose premise in mind. if you're a reader of the new fic, well, enjoy!

His day started at 6:00 AM, to the sound of his phone blaring to the tune of Cut to the Feeling, an alarm that was starting to get old despite the song being a favorite of his. His sleep crusted blue eyes popped open, hands scrambling to grab his phone on his bedside table. He squinted at the sight of the bright white light emitting from his phone, but scrolled down to check social media and text notifications from the night before.

Ashh(Woman With Bunny Ears ≊ Women Partying)  
  
**Today** 4:03 AM  
OMG JACK! You know that hot guy from the point?  
  
okay yes you do, but anyways  
  
HE CAME UP TO US AND ASKED WHERE THE CUTE BARTENDER WAS!!!  
  
THAT’S OBVIOUSLY YOU!!! YOU HAVE TO ASK HIM OUT OMGOMGOGMGGOTMGOGM  
  


Jack smiled at the gesture from his friend, clicking off his phone and setting it back down on the table. He knew she probably wouldn’t be up until 1 PM at the least, seeing as though she had sent it at 4 AM.

He stretched his arms before throwing off the covers, swinging his legs over the edge of the bed. He stood up, stretching again before grabbing his phone and heading out of his room. The smell of coffee immediately hit his nostrils as soon as he opened the door. Jack inhaled the scent and grinned. It was one of the only times he’d remembered to set up his morning coffee the night before, and he certainly needed it. 

He poured his coffee into his favorite mug, a small painting of corn stalks plastered on front. It had been a gift from his mother many years ago. 

He added a horrendous amount of cream and sugar before heading out to his porch. It was cloudy, again, as was usual for Seattle, but it was rather pleasant as far as temperature went. He leaned on the railing, glancing out at the communal yard below. “Good morning, Jack!” A woman said from below, waving up at him. Jack looked back down at the woman, waving back. “Mornin’, Dawn!” He said back, the woman grinning before continuing on with her gardening. 

After he finished his coffee, he’d gone for a jog around the block and back. He’d stopped to say hello to Ana and her husband, Reinhardt which had ended up with Ana serving him a full breakfast before letting him on his way. By the time he’d returned to his apartment it was already 8:30, forcing him to hop in the shower as quick as he could, leaving him barely enough time to admire himself in the mirror. He was out the door by 9, bracing himself for the traffic to come. 

Driving through the city was a hassle, and his phone was surprisingly blowing up from his group chat. He knew he probably shouldn’t have but he took a quick glance at the messages that were bombarding his phone.

salty bitches group chat (Information Desk Person )  
  
**Rosalin**  
Dinner tonight after Jack’s shift??   
  
**Ireland**  
I’m up for it :)   
  
**Kamryn**  
I can’t make it, we’re going up to visit Travis’ parents tonight (Crying Face )  
  
**Mia**  
Laaaaaaame, I’ll be there, I'm sure Ashley will be up for it too  
  


He quickly typed out a message before dropping his phone down into the cupholder, hoping there weren’t any cops around.

salty bitches group chat (Information Desk Person )  
  
Works for me! (Smiling Face With Smiling Eyes )  
  


He rolled down his windows as he slowly cruised along the smooth pavement, aiming for a breath of fresh air but getting the smell of bus diesel from a double decker tour bus adjacent to him and McDonalds breakfast instead. Jack rolled up his window again, letting out a sigh of relief as the light changed to green with the line beginning to slowly move again. It had still taken him another ten minutes before he had arrived at the tiny diner that was adorned in everything emerald. He parked up the street, quickly walking towards his place of work before he’d be even a minute late. As he entered through the double doors, a girl probably ten years his junior greeted him.

“Hi, blondie!” She said happily, standing behind the hostess stand with a smile. Jack shot her a polite smile back, “Mornin’ Hana, has it been busy?” He asked. The brunette nodded, letting out an exhausted sigh, “You just missed the rush, you’re lucky.” He grinned back at her, “I suppose I am.” He gave her a quick wave goodbye before heading back towards the kitchen.

Jack couldn’t say he had a particularly close relationship with any of his coworkers, but Hana was definitely someone he’d consider a bordering-on-friend acquaintance. They had virtually nothing in common however, their personal lives had seemed to be polar opposites. Hana had spent most of her nights in her room playing video games online, while Jack would find anything he could possibly do to avoid the same fate. Jack liked to party, scratch that, he really liked to party. Clubs and bars were non existent where he’d grown up, the closest were either an hour towards Bloomington or an hour towards Louisville. 

Once he’d moved to Seattle, he’d felt his life entirely change, especially when he hit 21. Most nights were spent in gay bars downing shots of alcohols unknown to him or grinding up on guys who were also unknown to him. Hana didn’t do that, Hana would rather be caught dead than be seen in a club. 

Unless it was for a boy. Hana really had a crush on a boy who was commonly seen in clubs, bars, and even concert stadiums across the world, but not as a patron. The boy Hana had a crush on was a DJ who was at least 4 years older than her, and likely didn’t know she existed. She’d told Jack she’d had a crush on him since she was 15, after watching a viral video of him DJing in a club in Brazil. In a way, this was also the opposite of Jack.

Jack couldn’t remember the last time he’d had real feelings for another person. Well, he could, but he had liked to say he couldn’t. Most of his relationships were not really relationships at all, but rather recurring hookups between two people who didn’t really feel anything for each other at all. After the downfall of his last real relationship, Jack was convinced he was going to die alone, but he was at peace with that. 

He’d learned to be at peace with it. 

~

“Jack! Table 12’s order is ready!” A cook shouted, the waiter rushing over to pick up the platter and using his back to open the door to the main dining room. He’d certainly gotten better at waiting tables in the year he’d worked at the urban diner. He hadn’t been sure about balancing the trays on one hand but he’d gotten the hang of it quite easily. 

The chatter of the guests filled the room, getting louder as the lunch goers began to fill any empty tables. He bobbed, ducked, dodged, and weaved through the crowds of people to get to his destination. As he approached, he put on a fake smile as he delivered the plates of whatever grub they’d decided to order. “And here you are! Let me know if you need anything else!” He said with a grin before heading back to the kitchen to receive the orders of about three other tables. 

Lunch rush lasted until about three, leaving Jack another two hours before the beginning of dinner rush, which was actually the end of his shift. Hana was on her way out by four, waving Jack goodbye as she entered onto the streets of Seattle. He spent the rest of his shift slowly wiping down tables, checking the clock until the big hand finally hit twelve. His boss gave him the all clear to leave, and he immediately rushed out. 

He pulled out his phone, texting his friends,

salty bitches group chat (Information Desk Person )  
  
where we going again? xoxo  
  
**Ashley**  
I think we agreed on blue wave at pike  
  
**Mia**  
Sounds good! Meet u guys there(Kissing Face With Closed Eyes )  
  
**Rosalin**  
same  
  


The drive to Pike Street wasn’t as gruesome as he thought it would be, the rush hour traffic seemed to have gone in the opposite direction. His friends had gotten there before him, leaving him slightly embarrassed as they teased him about being late. They’d already ordered appetizers, Jack trying not to scarf down all of them as soon as he arrived. His friend’s had commented that the drinks were amazing, he’d taken a few sips that he offered but declined to order a full one for himself. His work day wasn’t exactly over yet.

Waiting tables had been his only job for years, until he had started living alone. He already wasn’t paid much to begin with, and the tips weren’t exactly flooding in either. He was as pleasant as could be, but some people aren’t exactly as kind to food service workers as he’d wanted them to be. It was about a year before that he’d taken up a night job of bartending at the local gay bar, The Boiling Point. 

Turns out you can make a hell of a lot of money for being semi-attractive and giving people alcohol. 

“So blondie, how was your work day? Find any cute guys?” Mia asked, twirling her kinky black hair around her finger. 

He shook his head, taking a bite of another mozzarella stick, hoping not to have to elaborate. Ashley sighed, “Did you even try to call that cute guy from The Point? I gave you his number you know.” Jack rolled his eyes, “That guy has the personality of a saltine cracker.”

“Saltines are good!” Ireland pointed out 

He wasn’t sure why he decided it was a good idea to introduce every single female friend he had to each other. He liked them all, truly and dearly, but at times he solely felt like a gay best friend whose life needed to constantly be poked and prodded at. So what if he hadn’t dated anyone in two and a half years? He was 28...he had time. 

Well, he had some time according to societal standards. 

Rosalin merely stared at him, squinting her eyes as if she was trying to analyze him. “This is the fourth guy that’s seemed interested in you that you’ve brushed off, are you holding out for someone?” She inquired, Jack letting out a groan while shaking his head again. “I don’t have time for casual dating, everyone around me is getting married and having babies, what’s so wrong with me finally deciding to look for a person I’d actually like to settle down with?”

None of them were convinced, but let go of it so as to not upset Jack further. 

 

They finished their meal at around 6:30, leaving Jack about half an hour to get to the bar before his shift started. He threw down his share of the bill, saying his goodbyes to his friends before heading out for his second work day of the day, if that made any sense. 

It was a Friday night, and as to be expected, it was packed full of sweaty gay guys eagerly waiting along side the bar to get a drink before the drag show began. A young man behind the bar glanced over towards him, immediately brightening up as soon as he realized he could finally leave. He pushed past the crowds to get to his post, quickly tapping in to appease the hoards waiting for their drinks. There were more straight girls than usual, likely for the drag show. 

At least they were supporting local queens and his paycheck. 

He’d rushed to one end of the bar to the other, attempting to gather as many orders as he could. Jack quickly wiped the sweat from his forehead, growing irritated as he waited for the other bartender who was supposed to be helping himself with the crowds. 

And as if his mind was read, Brigitte was pushing through the crowds, giving Jack an apologetic look.

She quickly moved her way into the station, immediately pouring drinks that Jack had yelled out to her.

The benefits to larger crowds were more tips, but he felt guiltier as he noticed how empty Brigitte tip jar was. She’d always said she was alright with it, it’s not like she didn’t know what would come with being a female bartender at a gay bar. Jack would always slip her a few tips from his jar anyways. 

The crowds shifted away as the drag show began, leaving he and the auburn haired girl next to him to chat. 

“I saw your friends in here last night” She mentioned, Jack letting out a groan in response. “Please don’t tell me they gave you any trouble” He apologized, assuming that they had. Straight women didn’t exactly have a great reputation at their bar, most of them were kind and would tip the workers at least 20%, but it seemed that the obnoxious ones always outweighed the good ones. She laughed and shook her head, “Nah, they’re nice, they spent the entire night looking for single guys you might be interested in.” 

He rolled his eyes, “Of course they did.”

“You don’t seem to be too keen on that” She responded, “Got someone you like?” 

Jack let out a sigh, leaning back on the bar behind them, “Not particularly.”

“Are you not over..uh….” She stopped herself dead in her tracks, “Oh god I shouldn’t have said anything I’m sorry” She immediately apologized, Jack letting out a chuckle before waving off her apology. 

“Nah you can ask if you want, I really don’t mind” He claimed, “But to answer your question, I’d say I am.” 

She nodded along, “Well that’s good to hear, I didn’t know much so I wasn’t sure if it was a touchy subject anymore.” Jack shrugged, “I mean, it potentially can be if I get prodded at too much but I don’t mind it too much.” 

Brigitte took a swig from the cheap beer they were provided, “So I’m guessing you’re not really interested in dating?” Jack tapped his chin in thought, “I guess I can’t say that I’m not, it’d be nice to get back out there I suppose, but I don’t wanna casually date you know?” She silently agreed, letting him go on with his train of thought. 

“I mean, I know 28 isn’t old or anything, but I just want to like, actually look for someone, y’know? I want more than a brief boyfriend or a hookup, I want to find someone who could potentially be a life partner” Jack explained, the red-head smiling over at him. 

“It takes time Jack, but I think you’ll find that person, and who knows, maybe an old flame can spark up again” She pointed out, Jack stifling laughter. 

“Not in a million years” 

~ 

Work ended at around 3, but Jack had stayed until 3:30 to help Brigitte and the rest of the staff with clean up. She asked Jack if she could tap out early, since she’d had to help her dad with a project the following morning. He agreed, she’d do the same if it was him. Once he was done, he waved to Mako, the security guard, on his way out. The man simply grunted, lifting a hand to gesture at him as well. He grinned in response. 

He actually enjoyed working at night, if he could, he’d solely work at the bar for longer hours. Sadly, they were nowhere near understaffed, if anything there were talks about someone being let go due to overstaffing. So he’d have to make due with the diner as well. 

Before he could get lost in his own thoughts, a firetruck had sped past him. Jack’s intrusive thoughts had him concerned, seeing as though they were going in the general direction of his apartment. The blonde attempted to calm himself down, it’s not like his was the only apartment in the north side of town. He was beginning to worry as the smell of burning wood hit his nostrils. He couldn’t do much except merely keep driving and hope it wasn’t his apartment. 

The sirens grew louder as he grew closer. He could even start to see smoke billowing from the relative location of his dwelling. His stomach had dropped down to his ballsack at this point, and pulling up to his apartment had only confirmed his fears. 

The place had caught fire.

The entire apartment was left blackened, and it looked as though none of the building could possibly be salvaged. 

There were people outside, blankets draped over their shoulders as police poked and prodded, attempting to get the situation out of them. Some people were sobbing for their loved ones, some merely said nothing. But all Jack could think was that the woman he talked to this morning wasn’t there. 

She was probably gone.

Everything was gone.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hi again! so with the publishing of this chapter the schedule is official! 
> 
> there will be two chapters a week, tuesdays and fridays (unless something comes up and the chapter requires formatting not possible from my phone, in that case a chapter will be posted as soon as I have access to a computer, even if it means two chapters posted in a day) even though chapter 1 was technically posted at like 1 am wednesday lol
> 
> i hope you guys enjoy! ❤️❤️❤️

He stayed a motel for about a week before deciding it was far too expensive for the amount of money he could make, even with overtime hours and tips. He still had car bills to pay, credit card bills, and an entire new wardrobe from whatever goodwill had. So he ended up couch surfing at his friend’s house, but leaving only a few days after. They’d offered for him to stay longer, but he wasn’t going to be that friend. He wouldn’t burden them like that, and he wouldn’t freeload like that either. 

So he was currently living out of his car, sleeping in whatever parking garage he wouldn’t get a large fine for being in. He’d shower at a seedy gym that had the least expensive membership cost, eat the cheapest thing on the menu at his place of work, flirt with patrons at The Point for more tips, sleep in his car, and repeat. Jack still wasn’t sure how long he could survive this way however, Seattle wasn’t exactly known for being dirt cheap. His friends had suggested he try becoming a drag queen for extra money, but Jack wasn’t necessarily known for looking feminine and knew drag was expensive as hell nowadays. 

He’d been considering moving back to Indiana for a while now, and seeing as though he could rent a four bedroom home in rural Indiana for the same price as his studio apartment, it had felt like the only option left. Moving back on the farm wasn’t an option however, even if mom begged him, his dad would rather have his dick cut off than let Jack back in his house. Jack was actually okay with that, he’d like to be in at least a ten mile radius from other gay people. 

Maybe he could shell out a bit more money and rent an apartment in Bloomington. It wasn’t as gay as say, San Francisco or NYC, but at least there was a place he could meet other gay people. 

But for now, he’d have to get over this hurdle first. 

-

Work was rather quiet, unusual for a weekday afternoon. Jack didn’t mind it too much however, it gave him time to contemplate his living situation and chat with some of his coworkers, but mostly just Hana.

“Oh yeah Jack, I wanted to ask you something” She suddenly exclaimed amidst their conversation, Jack raising an eyebrow in response as he leaned up against the hostess stand. “I got two tickets to Lúcio’s concert at CenturyLink Field, would you wanna come with me?” Hana asked eagerly, giving him the biggest smile she could possibly muster up. He still looked on in confusion, “I mean, it sounds like fun but why me? You have like a billion of other friends that you’re closer with” He questioned, Hana letting out a sigh in response. “I hope you don’t take this the wrong way when I say it but I mean, you know I’m like totally capable of beating someone up if needed, right? But like-”

“You want a strong guy to come with you”  
The brunette girl sighed with a nod, “That’s not only why though! We just don’t get to hang out a lot and I think you’re super cool and you don’t hit on me ‘cause-”

“I like guys?”

“I was going to say ‘cause you’re like 10 years older than me but sure, that too”

The blonde couldn’t help but laugh at her response, finally giving in to her proposition. “Alright fine, I’ll go with you, but I’m not gonna be your gay best friend to make you look cool” He pointed out, Hana quickly nodding in agreement. “Of course! You’re too old to be my gay best friend, you’re more like, my gay best dad” She teased, Jack sticking his tongue out at her in retaliation. Maybe it would be good for Jack to get out with someone who wasn’t within his small circle. Especially something different like a concert of a genre he didn’t listen to as often. He’d heard some of Lúcio’s music from Hana’s phone speakers whenever she’d obsess over him, from what Jack heard, he sounded pretty good.

He’d also had a viral video a few years back of him playing at a small club back in Brazil in his full frog getup. Jack had never thought a frog could be a rather cool outfit for a DJ, but he supposed he’d been proven wrong. He’d never been seen without his outfit on, he’d ask Hana how she could possibly have a “crush” on him without ever seeing his face.

Her response was that love has no appearance.

What Jack wouldn’t give to be 18 again and fall in love so easily. 

-

He denied the offer for dinner with his friends after work. They’d seemed to have been making him feel worse than better after “the disaster” as they would call it. Jack had always gotten annoyed when they phrased it that way, but he’d then feel guilty because it was a disaster. Three people fucking died and no one was even sure why. He couldn’t even talk to the landlord’s insurance company about getting money for a temporary place to stay merely because his mother had stressed he not until he talked to a lawyer in case it was because of negligence of his landlord. He was too stressed for chatty straight people gossip or preparations for his friend’s upcoming wedding, as bad as he felt about being annoyed about that.

He needed to get hammered, now. 

Normal people didn’t like to get drunk at their place of work, but at that moment, Jack was not a normal person. 

Once he’d arrived at The Point, he shoved himself up to the bar to come face to face with the auburn haired Brigitte who greeted him with a smile. 

“Hi Jack! Wasn’t expecting-”

“What’s the most alcoholic drink we have?”

The redhead seemed confused and caught off guard, but answered anyways, “Well I think the Flaming Zombie but I’m not-”

“Get me one of those please”

She seemed concerned, but nodded and quickly ran off to prepare the fruity concoction, topping it off with flames when brought to him, the drunk crowd staring on in awe at something as regular as a flaming drink. He blew out the drink almost as soon as she lit it, attempting to down it as soon as he grabbed it. It tasted like tropical punch, as if there wasn’t any alcohol involved at all. That was certainly wrong. Brigitte had refused to serve him more than one, leaving him to order the house Jungle Juice as his second drink. Probably a mistake.

He danced in a way he hadn’t in about 5 years. From how he acted, he was more like a 21 year old twink who was enjoying the honeymoon period of being allowed to legally drink instead of a 28 year old man who’d be hitting 30 in less than two years. He sang loudly along to the club bangers made by pop divas, grinding up on whoever was behind him at that moment. The sober part of him, tucked away in the back of his brain was telling him that he was too old for doing this shit. The drunk part of him was telling him to turn around and press his lips against the stranger and hope for the best. 

He tasted like liquor, duh. The mystery man seemed to be somewhat interested, willingly moving his lips along with the blonde’s pulling him closer to his body as they moved to the beat of the music. The way his facial hair scratched up against his mouth, it had all felt too familiar for Jack to let go, but his instincts pulled him back and opened his eyes. 

It wasn’t him, and just like that, the spark was blown out. 

He locked eyes with a grey eyed, pale skinned man who gave him a grin.

Fuck. Improvise.

Jack sweetly smiled back, “I’m gonna go get a drink honey, I’ll see you back on the floor” He promised, quickly maneuvering his way through the crowds afterwards. Once he approached the bar and Brigitte, he threw his head in his hands. “Can I just sit on the floor behind the bar and drink from a bottle?” He asked with a groan. Brigitte laughed softly, but ultimately shook her head. “Sorry, don’t wanna kick you while shuffling around, but I guess I can make you something light and let you sit in the break room” She responded, Jack just nodding.

“Does a Rosé Spritzer sound good?” The redhead asked, Jack nodding along again. He stumbled his way towards the employees only door, struggling to find his way to the break room with how dizzy he was. Once he’d finally found it, he plopped down in the closest chair he could find and began nursing his drink while browsing his phone. The bar was closing in about twenty minutes, and Jack was already dreading the walk of shame to the parking garage where he was parked. 

God, getting hammered was a stupid idea

Maybe he could find that guy from before and sleep with him, just for a place to stay until he sobers up. He immediately wavered off that thought, he already promised himself that he wouldn’t sell himself for a place to stay. But as the time to closing grew shorter, he wasn’t sure if he could keep that promise. Jack wasn’t even sure how he could possibly even find his car in this state, why didn’t he ask Brigitte for some water instead?! As the clock grew closer to 3, he knew he’d have to face the music and figure it out somehow. 

It took until clean up for Jack to even stand up out of his chair, deciding to take the back way out of the bar, hoping not to be noticed by the guy from before if he happened to be outside. He waited behind the building for another few minutes, tip toeing his way towards the main road, planning an escape towards the parking garage. But as soon as he set foot past the alleyway, a voice yelled out towards him. 

“Hey sweetheart, didn’t see you back on the floor” The husky voice said, Jack stumbled in the opposite direction, going as fast as his body would let him at that moment. He hoped the guy would get the message, but he didn’t.

Or maybe he did, and didn’t like it.

“Hey! I’m talking to you!” He yelled as he sped towards Jack, grabbing his arm to stop him from moving. Jack could only manage to mutter out words in his current state of intoxication and fear. 

“Are you always this rude to guys you make out, you fucking whore?” He yelled again, grabbing Jack, pulling him in his grip until they were face to face. Jack mustered out a few pleas to let him go, but the man refused, merely pulling him closer and telling him the things he would do to him. This guy was strong, and loud.

But Jack was stronger

And louder

Way louder

The drunk blonde wrangled himself free from the man’s hold, shoving him over onto the dirty concrete in the process. “Did I or did I not tell you to let me the fuck go?!” He screamed over him, followed by a flood of insults and obscenities, kicking him a few times out of pure rage. It wasn’t until Jack opened his eyes through the flood of tears did he stop, eyes locking with his again. He could see a similar fear in his eyes that was just in Jack’s, so he stopped. He backed up, letting the man get up and brush himself off. 

He simply stared at Jack for a few moments before turning around and walking off, muttering something under his breath that was inaudible to Jack. 

Leaving the blonde alone in the streets of Seattle at 4 AM

He backed up onto the brick wall of the club, sliding down as he felt the rush of sheer panic hit him. He was bawling into his hands, not particularly caring about the people he’d probably just woken up with his screams. All he could do was wonder how he’d gotten here, drunkenly crying on the disgusting city sidewalk. Three weeks ago all he had to worry about was wondering if he was dying alone, something that actually wasn’t a huge deal to him. Now he was homeless, living out of his car, with almost nothing left in his name. But as his mother had told him, a burned out candle is always capable of being lit again, and so he opened his eyes. 

Looking up to meet with the golden brown eyes he thought he’d never have the chance to see again, 

“Gabriel?”

This was likely a hallucination from being completely fucked up, he’d read it was possible on the internet somewhere. Gabriel was wearing a suit for God’s sake, he wouldn’t just be wearing something that fancy and be strolling the streets of Seattle at 4 AM. It couldn’t have been him, at least that’s what he thought.

But the way the man responded, he could tell it was no fever dream. 

“Jesus, you’re super fucked up, aren’t you?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> sorry that this one was a tiny bit shorter than chapter 1 but 3,4,5 will definitely be longer, thank u for reading and i hope you’ll be back for upcoming chapters ❤️❤️❤️


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> welcome back! ❤️

There hadn’t been a more sobering moment in Jack’s life. It was like he was full of life once again, immediately springing up from his crouched position and giving Gabriel an almost painful grin. “Nope! I feel great! I feel fucking fantastic, never better!” He exclaimed, trying to seem as natural as he could, but he was starting to feel light headed again. It was becoming more clear that Gabriel could see right through his lie. 

“You reek of booze” He stated in response, Jack letting out a huff in response. “I’ve been around a lot of drunk people” He retaliated, but Gabriel wasn’t letting up. “I literally just saw you stumble out from an alleyway and try to run down the street” Gabriel shot back. Jack knew he was right, but he was still getting frustrated that he wouldn’t believe his lie. “W-what are you stalking me or something?!” He shouted, Gabriel looking taken aback by Jack’s outburst. “Jesus christ dude, I’m just trying to make sure you’re okay” Gabriel said, a twinge of hurt in his voice. 

Great, now Jack felt like shit. 

He slumped back down against the wall, letting out a sigh. “Why do you want to help me of all people?” Jack asked, Gabriel moving to lean up next to him. “Because asshole, we might not be on great terms but I’m not a dickhead that would prefer to see you get raped by some sleazy dude at a bar” He replied, somehow making Jack feel worse than he already did. He wanted to say something back, but his throat would choke back any words he could find. 

They sat there in silence, Jack staring at the light polluted sky above to avoid any eye contact with his ex-boyfriend. He’d thought of scenarios where he would see Gabriel again, and all of them involved Jack being sober with a super hot new boyfriend and living his best life. Instead, he was drunk, homeless, and ugly crying. He almost wished the man would just give up and be on his way. Why was he even out at 4 AM in the first place? Gabriel didn’t budge however, and continued to stand next to him, staring up at the murky skies as well.

“Where’s your car?” Gabriel asked, Jack looked confused in response. The man rolled his eyes, “To drive you home, idiot.” 

Right. Home. The thing that Jack definitely did not have. 

“I...uh, it’s fine. I can, uh, take a cab or something” Jack stammered back, Gabriel laughing. “Come on   
Jack, I know it’s been awhile but I’m not stupid. I know you, you think that every cab driver is secretly a serial killer or rapist that has it out for you, you’d never take one alone at 4 AM” He retorted, leaving Jack stumped. 

Dammit, he knew him too well. 

He knew he should’ve made more excuses, but Gabriel had stood up and reached out a hand for Jack to get up. Jack hesitantly took his hand, letting go as soon as he was on his feet. He pointed a finger towards the parking garage across the intersection, checking his phone to see what spot he’d written down before. “Floor 4, spot 28” He mumbled out, Gabriel nodding. 

“Do you need any help walking?” The man asked

Jack was already feeling wobbly from just standing up, but he shook his head anyways. Gabriel merely nodded back and they went on their way. Jack however, knew he did need help walking. It took approximately two minutes for Jack to trip over nothing and fall on his ass. He refused to let Gabriel help him get back up, and brushed him off when he tried to help him keep balance. The drunk man hadn’t even thought about what he was going to say to Gabriel when he revealed he didn’t really have anywhere he was staying. 

Once they’d entered the parking garage, Gabriel led him over to the elevator, pressing the up button before waiting patiently in silence alongside the blonde. Gabriel was smart enough to know that Jack shouldn’t be climbing any stairs, or walking up slopes. The second the lift had arrived, Gabriel had to nudge Jack into the elevator. He was far too lost in thought to even have a moment to notice what had been going on around him, trying to think of the appropriate time to tell him of his situation.

As they arrived to the fourth floor, Gabriel had to essentially uphold him to get to his vehicle. His heart was pounding, getting faster the closer they approached his car. He knew the question would come in moments, maybe Jack could just tell him to drop him off at a motel or something. 

No, he didn’t have enough money for that. 

Gabriel opened the passenger door for him, Jack practically falling into the seat. He could hear the man stifling back laughter as he shut the door. He crossed his arms with a huff as Gabriel got into the driver’s side. “Where am I taking you, Morrison?” He asked, eyes meeting with Jack’s glossy blues. The blonde twiddled his fingers, looking out the window, “Yeah, about that…” 

Gabriel gave him an inquisitive stare, Jack letting out a cough as he struggled to find the proper words. “So um, did you hear about the apartment that burned down on 20th?” He asked, Gabriel nodding slowly as he continued to stare at him. He turned his head to look out the window at the other cars lined up in the parking garage, biting down on his lip before taking a deep breath. “I lived there” He revealed. They were both silent, Jack clenching his eyes shut in fear of Gabriel’s reaction, but there was still nothing. His drunk mouth let words spill out of his mouth, hoping to fill the silence. 

“I was staying at some of my friend’s houses for a few weeks and a motel for a week but I knew I couldn’t stay at their houses long term and I don’t have enough money for the motel, so if you’d like to just leave me here and go home you’re totally welcome” He rambled, but Gabriel still said nothing. Jack was growing frustrated at his silence, not even a mere comment on how there’s a bunch of shit shoved in his backseat. “Where are your keys?” was all the man asked.   
Jack pulled from his front pocket, handing them to Gabriel who in turn, put them in the ignition and started up the vehicle. Jack was confused, “Where are we going?” He asked. 

“My house”

Jack could feel himself fluster from embarrassment, but merely agreed, not like Gabriel was giving him much of a choice as he backed out the parking space.

“You can stay over tonight in the second bedroom, and we’ll talk about your options tomorrow morning”

He almost hated how nice Gabriel was being to him. Their breakup wasn’t exactly mutual, or clean. According to their angry phone calls from right after that day, Jack had “shattered his fucking heart into a million pieces.” So it was almost confusing that Gabriel was willing to take him in so easily, or even just drive him home if he still had one. It had been almost two and a half years, Gabriel had probably moved on, something Jack was still struggling with in the most complicated manner.

Jack wasn’t in love with Gabriel anymore, finally. It had taken almost a year and a half of moping and crying to get to that point. 

But what he wasn’t over was the Gabriel he had created in his head, a stable and reliable life partner who would do anything to make sure Jack was happy. But Jack didn’t necessarily want the Gabriel he created in his head, he just wanted someone. He’d told himself that he was cool with dying alone, but he hadn’t always been so sure about it. It was a defense mechanism almost, to keep everyone off his case. 

 

But even then, the thought of the actual Gabriel, flawed and all, moving on almost upset him. Jack was the one who ended things, it was almost shameful that it took him as long as it did to get over the man. Even now, he’d still mentally chart out his relationship with Gabriel on nights he couldn’t sleep. 

And was Gabriel really just trying to be nice by letting him stay over? Did he have ulterior motives? Jack had felt his brain nearly explode with all of the theories he’d been coming up with, he hadn’t even noticed they’d been driving for about ten minutes, with Gabriel parking his car in front of a small brick townhome. 

“Jack, we’re here”

He glanced out the window to see a tall brick building, with a small add on nestled between the tower next to it. The small structure had a sign plastered on the window and above the door, 

Blackwatch, Records & Guitars 

Gabriel had always talked about his hope for opening a record store, even before they’d started dating. He was amazed he somehow had the funds to open it in such a good location, right in the middle of the city. He hadn’t even thought of the fact that this was also where he lived, something else Gabriel had mentioned back in the day. 

“It’d just be so easy to live at the same place you work, you know have the store on the first floor or the first two floors and then live just right upstairs. Like, imagine how much I’d save on gas not having to drive to work everyday” 

“You said you wanted the store in the middle of everything, places like that are hundreds of thousands of dollars even for the shittiest building possible, and do you know how much of a risk opening a business is? It doesn’t sound very practical”

“Let me dream”

He was almost a little bitter that Gabriel had proved him wrong, and that Gabriel had thrown out all of his own practicality speeches out of the window. Once Jack had gotten out the car, Gabriel had quickly approached the entrance and fumbled with his keys, unlocking the glass door before holding it open for the blonde. He gave him a nod as a silent thank you, before stepping in. The walls were all brick, adorned with vinyl records ranging from The Beatles to Sex Pistols. There were guitars and poster racks hanging up as well, Jack was almost amazed at how nice the place looked. 

“How did you afford all of this?” was the first thing he could sputter out, not even complimenting the shop itself. Gabriel smirked, “Nighttime valet parking tips and a lot of saving” He proclaimed. 

“Is that why you just happened to be strolling around in nice clothes at 4 AM?” He asked, Gabriel nodding to answer. “I was wondering why you didn’t ask about that” He said humorously. 

“Sometimes when your ex-boyfriend appears in front of you out of nowhere while you’re fucked up, the first thing you say isn’t a comment about his clothes”

“Fair point”

He led Jack through the store, taking him to the second floor and into a room with a sign claiming “EMPLOYEES ONLY” hanging from a hook. Behind the door was a set of steep stairs, “Be careful, they’re kinda slippery” Gabriel warned, Jack merely following him up them. “So where do you work anyways?” The blonde asked, “Four Seasons, you still work at that diner on seventh?” 

“That and I bartend at the gay bar I was crying in front of” 

Gabriel raised an eyebrow, “I didn’t take you for one to be drinking on the job” He said before using another key to unlock his door, stepping up before moving out of the way for Jack.

“I wasn’t” The blonde responded before stepping into the foyer, Gabriel closing the door behind him

Gabriel only questioned him further, “You go to your own place of work to get hammered?”

Jack groaned, “I didn’t have anyone to go with and I know everyone at my bar, okay?” Gabriel snickered, “Okay but really, which one do you work at anyways?” He led the man up another set of stairs, taking them to the second floor before leading him to another room with another staircase. 

“The Point, it’s on University Street”

“Oh, the newer one. I haven’t been there yet but it’s only a few blocks from Four Seasons so I’ll probably check it out soon” He responded, opening the door at the top of the final staircase, leading directly to a small room with a sheeted twin sized bed in the corner and tons of storage boxes, the scent of dust and cardboard filling his nose. 

“I’ll go grab a pillow and some blankets, keep in mind it does get pretty hot up there though” He warned before heading downstairs. Jack wasn’t sure it was appropriate to ask for a change of clothes, he probably could sleep naked if he wanted too but even then it would still feel awkward. He waited patiently for Gabriel to get back, maybe the man still had some clothes of his. He was missing a few things. 

Gabriel came back with a fluffed up pillow and a red blanket, tossing them towards the blonde. “Anything else you need?” He asked, Jack wanting to shake his head but his mouth asking the question before he could even think about it. 

“Do you happen to have any clothes of mine by chance? I don’t really wanna sleep in alcohol soaked jeans” He stammered, Gabriel nodding before pointing to a cardboard box in the corner. “Should be some stuff in there” He claimed, “That it?” Gabriel asked with Jack nodding, Gabriel told him good night before trudging down the staircase, shutting the door behind him. 

Jack was hesitant to rummage through the box, wondering if there would be anything other than clothes in there. He slowly stepped towards it, picking it up from the corner and placing it in an empty spot in the middle of the room. He sat down in front of it, opening the loose flaps to immediately find his old Captain America t-shirt on top. He was wondering where that had gone. 

He placed it aside, he’d probably wear it to sleep even though it smelled like mothballs. He could always ask Gabriel to wash it tomorrow. 

The next thing he pulled out was his old leather jacket, something he had definitely been looking for over the past few years. Despite being carelessly stuffed in a box, the colors were unfaded. He remembered Gabriel had made it for him for his 24th birthday, based on a character Jack had made for Gabriel’s webcomic. He wondered if he ever continued that. 

Most of it was what Gabriel had promised, clothes, but a few other items that Jack was hesitant to rummage through sat at the bottom. He tried to ignore them, but his curiosity had gotten the better of him. The first item stacked on top was a picture of them together, encased in a frame that had most of the glass missing. Jack couldn’t remember it breaking, it was either during their final fight or afterwards. Most of what was in the box other than clothes were old pictures, he couldn’t blame Gabriel for not really knowing what to do with them. It feels awkward to throw away physical pictures, not everything is as easy as the delete button on Instagram. 

There was a small stack of letters that they would leave each other around the house on birthdays, anniversaries, or any important event. Jack would read them but he didn’t feel like hurting himself that way tonight. He couldn’t say he still loved Gabriel, he knew he didn’t. But what he felt was guilt, immense guilt that never seemed to go away. He left Gabriel in a time where he needed him the most, at least that’s what he thought anyways. 

But now he saw that Gabriel was doing much better for himself without Jack. In the time after they’d broken up, Gabriel had bought a house and opened the record shop he’d been dreaming of for years. Now he felt guilty for an entirely separate reason, perhaps he was holding Gabriel back. He hadn’t seen the man in such a positive spot in years, perhaps Gabriel never needed Jack at all.

Maybe for all those years, 

Jack needed Gabriel. 

~

He was glad he didn’t have work the next day, because he’d stayed up until 6 AM contemplating whether or not he was going to have a mental breakdown that night. He fell asleep deciding. 

It was around 4:30 when he’d woken up, the afternoon sun shining through the window and right onto his face. Jack let out a groan, rubbing his temples, head throbbing as soon as he sat up. It was a miracle he hadn’t thrown up in his sleep and choked, he was still traumatized by his mother telling him about Jimi Hendrix. He remembered his father immediately yelling at his mother for polluting his mind. He probably cared more about the fact she was talking about a famous black man rather than scaring her own son to death. 

Jack didn’t feel like throwing up however, if anything he really wanted a giant breakfast with tons of bacon, and a bloody mary. It was 4:30 though, and he was sure Gabriel wouldn’t be up to making anything for him. Speaking of Gabriel, he remembered that the man said they’d “talk about his options” after he woke up the next day. He pulled himself out of bed, trudging down the stairs and nearly slipping and falling on his ass. Once he reached the floor below, he could hear the faint thumping of music from the record store. 

Right

He’d almost forgotten that was there. 

He walked down the second set of stairs to get to the kitchen, a box of frosted flakes with a bowl and a spoon waiting for him on the counter. It wasn’t exactly a country breakfast but it would do. He knew Gabriel kept his milk in the body the fridge, he was oddly specific about it too. Door vs body of the fridge was Gabriel’s favorite rant to go on while drunk.

According to Google, the record shop closed at 5 PM, so he spent the next half an hour and them some eating frosted flakes and playing stupid games on his phone. The music didn’t stop downstairs until around 5:30, and the stomping of Gabriel coming up the stairs began. He opened the door, Jack glancing over his shoulder towards the man and giving a wave. “Evening” Gabriel greeted with a smirk, walking over to sit on the stool next to him. 

“How was your “morning?”” He continued

“Didn’t throw up”

Gabriel gave him a thumbs up, “Good to hear.” It was weird, talking to Gabriel like this. As if nothing had ever happened between them, like they’d been only good friends for years. He supposed it was better than any remaining animosity between them, but it had still felt weird. 

“So I thought about it today, and I wanted to make you a offer”

Jack raised an eyebrow, “I’m listening”

Gabriel nodded, “This is only if you want to, but I’m willing to offer you the upstairs bedroom for $200 a month until you get back on your feet, if you’re willing” He offered, Jack almost stunned by his proposition. 

He knew that this could very well get super weird, it probably would get really weird. But he didn’t have a better option at that moment, and $200 a month wasn’t that bad. 

“I’ll take you up on your offer”

And so it started.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i hope you enjoyed and lmk of any mistakes!


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> flashback chapter! these will be occuring every 4 chapters (so the next one will be chapter 8) and they’re to give you better insight on jack and gabe’s relationship, and these chapters will usually be rather long so we can immediately get a move on into the main story after they’re finished. I hope you guys like these, also I listened to a lot of 2008 hits while writing this so I had a lot of fun
> 
> enjoy!

_August 2008_

His mother ruffled his blonde locks, looking down at her son with a soft smile as he sat on his new dorm room bed. Their matching blue eyes met, both filled with tears. “I’m gonna miss you, Jackrabbit” She told him, her voice cracking as she managed to get her words out. She’d driven him across the country to the outskirts of Seattle from their farm in Hardinsburg, Indiana to tell him goodbye as he went on to college.

Jack didn’t want to admit that he was terrified of not having his mother around. She was his life line at this point, especially after his major falling out with his dad. Without her, he had no one. His sister’s hadn’t spoken to him very much in the recent past, but he knew it was not to upset their father. His “friends” had alienated him for the last few months of high school after he had come out. His mother was the only one who treated him the same as before.

“Can I just go back with you, mom? I’ll live in the shed, dad doesn’t need to know” He begged, his mother letting out a laugh as she wiped away her tears and pulled him into a hug. “Don’t be silly, honey, you’ll do great here. I’m sure you’ll have lots of friends in no time, and you can tell me all about them” She assured, Jack nodding, but still feeling anxious.

He’d always been good at making friends in the past, he was always told he was rather charming. But after he came out, something had changed drastically. After being shunned by those close to him, it was as if the light had been taken out of him. His father had always told him there was no way he’d survive in the big city, and he was beginning to think he was right.

He only had a few hours left with his mother before she’d catch her flight back to Indiana, leaving him to be alone and surrounded by those he figured would judge him. She helped him organize his things and decorate his room, as well as making his bed and reminding him how to do hospital corners.

“Where do you want your Project Runway poster, sugar plum?”

“You can just uh, put that in storage” He hesitated, afraid to what his dorm mate would think of it. All he knew about the man he’d be rooming with was that he was a French exchange student named Gérard. Jack knew a moderate amount of French from his mother, but not much more due to his father’s resistance.

_The boy can speak English, that’s all he needs._

His mother couldn’t help but laugh, shaking her head as she rolled it back up in it’s tube. As his room began to be put together, he found more and more excuses for them to continue on with his room. He really didn’t want to have to face college life alone, but as his mother mentioned her flight, he knew he would have to.

“I’ll call you once my flight lands, pumpkin” She promised, pulling him into a tight hug. The blonde man bent down for his mother to kiss him on the cheek. “Have a good school year, and don’t get any taller!” She joked, Jack giving her a smile as he attempted to fight back more tears.

“I love you, Jackrabbit”

“I love you too, momma”

~

His roommate hadn’t arrived for another few hours after Jack’s mother had left. And once he made his presence known with the opening of their door, Jack could feel the bile rising in his throat from fear. The blonde had immediately jumped up from his position on his bed, reaching a hand out for the other man to shake.

“Hi! Uh..bonjour, I mean! I’m Jack Morrison” He eagerly greeted with the black haired man in front of him merely staring, Jack growing nervous every second.

But then the man smirked at him, taking his hand and lightly shaking. “Pleasure to meet you, Jack Morrison” He greeted in response, “I’m Gérard Lacroix.” Gérard had a moderately thick accent, but he had a good grip on the English language.

The French man was handsome, not really Jack’s type but handsome nonetheless. His raven hair was brushed back, heavily complimenting the man’s facial structure as he continued to smile at the blonde man. “Where are you from, Jack?” Gérard asked him, “Hardinsburg, Indiana”

The man nodded, “Not entirely sure where Hardinsburg is, but Indiana...you came a far way” He acknowledged, Jack lightly laughing, “Not as far as France, where are you from? In France, I mean…”

“Believe it or not, not Paris” He joked, “I’m from Honfleur, in Normandy.”

Jack nodded, unsure as to what to say to the man after that. Gérard merely moved to sit on his empty bed, hazel eyes glancing around at Jack’s decor on his half of the room. “So you’re a sports type of guy” He acknowledged, “I guess so” Jack responded as he looked over his colts posters along with his senior year football team picture. “If American movies has taught me anything, you must be drowning in lady cheerleaders” Gérard concluded with a grin, Jack flushing in embarrassment.

“I uh, yeah, at some point…I was, not now”

The raven haired man raised an eyebrow, silently questioning what his response had meant. “I’m gay” He confessed, bracing for the worst reaction possible. He fully expected Gérard to storm out and immediately request a new roommate in fear that the other man would “make a move.”

But instead, he sat there and laughed.

“I suppose you wouldn’t have any problem introducing me to any female friends you may have?”

“Aha..sure, I suppose”

If only he had any

~

For the first few weeks of university, he’d spent most of his time alone or with Gérard. Mostly the former. Gérard was nice, it was fun to hang out with him. But he spent most of the time flirting shamelessly with whatever girl had caught his attention at that moment. And usually Jack would end up alone.

It wasn’t until the third day of his second week of classes did he make another friend. His spot in the corner of the class had been taken by someone else, and the last spot available was next to a busty blonde girl. Ashley was her name, he was pretty sure that’s what it was anyways. He was afraid she would flirt with him, but it seemed as if he wasn’t doing a good job at concealing his sexuality.

She seemed genuinely nice, but she would normally chat up a storm as soon as Jack sat down. He wouldn’t have minded if it hadn’t been an 8 AM class. Despite that though, on the Thursday of the following week, she invited him to a frat party.

“You’re like, my only guy friend who wouldn’t try to sleep with me when super drunk! And you don’t get out enough, Jackie! Pleaaaaasseee!” She begged. She reminded him of his younger sisters, he shouldn’t have been so susceptible to puppy dog eyes, but he agreed.

“I guess I could go for a few hours”

She squealed with glee, their professor glaring over to the two of them. Not a word was spoken from the older woman, but it was enough to shut both of them up. His friend didn’t speak again until they were released from class. As they walked out the door, she grabbed him by the sleeve of his shirt.

“Hey don’t be nervous, there’s like, _tons_ of gay guys. Oh my god, have you heard of Gabriel Reyes? He’s a senior and he’s like _king_ of the gay guys, I’ve heard. He could totally hook you up with another freshman dude, he’s kind of an enigma though so he might not even be there…” She kept rambling on about Gabriel Reyes and how _super duper fun_ the party was going to be. Truth be told, Jack _had_ heard of Gabriel Reyes. He was considered to be one of the more notable students currently attending their school. Mostly because he did all of the things other “gifted” students were doing while also being gay.

A hero, really.

Maybe it wouldn’t hurt to socialize with other students outside of the classroom, it was just the frat boys he was worried about. Hopefully since Gabriel Reyes was part of the fraternity, they wouldn’t shove him into a dumpster or something for being gay.

Hopefully.

~

“Blue or Green?” He asked, holding the two shirts up for his roommate to see. The raven haired man raised an eyebrow at him, looking up from the novel he was reading. “Jack, you are trying way too hard” Gérard claimed, immediately bringing his dark eyes back down to his book. The blonde groaned, “For someone who’s from France, you’re absolutely no help with fashion and shit.” Gérard smirked, glancing back up towards Jack. “Morrison, that is a harmful stereotype and I will not stand for it” He responded sarcastically.

Jack simply stuck his tongue out, dropping both shirts on the floor. “Maybe I just shouldn’t go, I can always get vodka in a plastic water bottle from that sketchy dude down the hall” He said with a sigh, falling back onto his twin sized bed. Gérard shook his head, standing up to rummage through Jack’s dresser. “Seeing as though I’m one of your two friends, and I’m obligated to like you merely because we’re roommates, you need to get out more” He claimed, tossing a few shirts out before placing one on the end of Jack’s bed.

Jack sat up, his eyes meeting with a light blue and white baseball tee with the school’s logo and mascot adorned on the front. “Pair this with some black jeans and those converse under your bed” Gérard commanded, Jack scoffing in response.

“Converse? Are you _trying_ to out me?”

“Converse aren’t gay!”

“They are if you’re not emo!”

“Either way, are you _trying_ to get grinded on by straight girls?”

He was at a loss for words, because Gérard was right. Jack accepted defeat, taking off his shirt before throwing on the new one. He could hear high heeled footsteps stomping down the hall, he threw on his pants before the blonde girl burst into his dorm room. She let out a squeal as her eyes set on the pale boy in front of her, “Oh my goodness, Jackie! You look so cute!” He sheepishly smiled as he thanked her.

The girl wore a slinky red dress, paired with black pumps. Her lips were drenched in crimson lip gloss, and her eyelids were covered in shimmery bronze eyeshadow. She was almost unrecognizable from the girl he knew in class, especially with her normally wavy blonde hair pin straight and parted in the center. “Are you ready to go, honey buns?” She asked affectionately.

“Let me throw on my shoes first” He said, Gérard grinning at them both.

“Have fun you two, don’t do anything I wouldn’t do”

“Gérard, you don’t do anything”

The French man pulled out one of the infamous vodka water bottles, taking a sip before waving them off.

Jack hoped he wouldn’t regret this.

~

They pregamed in the girl’s bathroom of a seven eleven that was only a block away from the fraternity. Jack was scared shitless, hoping that an old woman wouldn’t waltz in and scream at him for being so “perverted.”

“Don’t be such a baby, I locked the door as soon as we walked in, now drink this” Ashley ordered, Jack hesitantly taking the aluminum bottle from her hand. He took a sip before letting out a gag. “God what is that?!” He asked in disgust.

“I don’t know, I mixed whatever alcohol I could find in my roommate’s drawer”

“Gross”

He drank a bit more anyways, trying not to vomit due to the repulsive taste. They got a few weird stares as they stumbled out of the ladies room bathroom, reeking of alcohol with Jack looking green from nausea. He probably should’ve considered they’d be walking the rest of the way before drinking as much as he had. The positive part that was his nerves had definitely gone down, at the expense of his face flushing and stumbling around like an idiot.

As the pulsing of the beat came closer, and more and more drunk college students were in sight. Jack was starting to feel nauseous again. The girl next to him seemed to be carefree, her smile growing wide as the sound of _A Milli_ became discernible to their ears. “Oh my god, Jackie this is like, one of my favorite songs! We totally gotta dance when we get inside, okay?” She said excitedly. Jack merely nodded, blindly agreeing even though the ringing in his ears blocked out most of what she had said.

A group of guys outside the double doors whistled at the girl, she smiled at them sheepishly before rushing inside with Jack. It was dark, all the lights in the vicinity dimmed beyond any visibility. Ashley immediately pulled him into the middle of an emptied out living room. All that was left was a couch that probably had beer and piss stains on it. She shuffled them into the center of the sweaty crowd, immediately taking his hands and dancing exactly how you would expect a drunk white girl to. He followed along, the alcohol making him a tiny bit more confident in his dancing abilities, despite the fact Jack only knew how to square dance.

The two of them were sandwiched in between a sweaty frat guy and a drunk girl crying about her ex-boyfriend while still dancing. As Lil Wayne faded out, Soulja Boy came in swinging. The crowd screamed as they yelled along to the intro. Jack could barely follow along despite it currently being one of the most iconic songs of the hour. “I’m gonna go get a drink” He claimed, Ashley nodding. “I’ll go with you, I’m parched!” She added, holding onto his arm as they maneuvered through the crowd. The kitchen was the only part of the house with proper lighting, probably so people don’t knock over the beer keg in the dark.

A small crowd was gathered around the small barrel, a few people leaning up against the counters as they chatted over the loud music. He tried to move towards the keg before Ashley stopped him dead in his tracks. She pulled him down to her level, speaking in his ear. “That’s Gabriel Reyes!” She said as quiet as she could without being unheard. He glanced around the room, dumbfounded as to where she had seen him. She shortly pointed him out, as he stared on.

He was perched on the counter, legs dangling against the cabinet below him. He wore one of the frat pinnies, blue and white with _SIG PI_ exclaimed on the front. Jack had seen Gabriel in some pictures, but he was embarrassed to admit that he actually _was_ hot shit. He was muscular to the point where the pinny looked too tight for him, mahogany waves faded at the sides and Jack hadn’t thought he was into facial hair until that moment.

The man had caught him staring, glancing over for a moment. Jack’s cheeks flushed as his eyes met with his, and he almost melted when the man smirked at him.

“I can’t find the vodka, Jackie!” Ashley whined, taking ahold of the man’s arm once again. “Do you think they have it hidden? Like a scavenger hunt?” She asked, Jack shaking his head as he stifled laughter. He got himself a cheap beer in a red solo cup before attempting to find the vodka. He was getting dangerously close to where Gabriel was sitting, and as the alarms rang off in his head, the man spoke.

“You freshies looking for this?” Gabriel asked, as he pulled a bottle of cheap vodka from behind him. Ashley nodded excitedly, Jack meekly stared at the ground. “You got a cup?” He asked her, she shook her head.

“Hey blondie”

Jack quickly shot up as he realized he was in fact, not talking to Ashley. “Can you hand me one of those cups?” He asked as he pointed to the stack of red cups on the island counter next to him. Jack quickly obeyed, hands shaking as he handed the cup to Gabriel. He might’ve been imagining it, but he felt as if Gabriel’s eyes kept lingering on him, even after they’d gotten Ashley’s drink and walked away. Part of him wanted to look back, but he kept his eyes in front of him.

Jack was only a young “freshie” anyways.

~

He didn’t have much time to mingle with anyone, as he spent most of the night following Ashley like a puppy. Everyone around him was incredibly shit faced, and he was starting to feel that way too. Ashley had started flirting with whichever boy was closest around two hours ago, leaving Jack alone for most of the night.

He sat on the uncomfortably sticky couch, hoping it was beer instead of piss. He was crammed in between a couple who had no issue nearly dry humping each other in front of a crowd, and a girl who’d been passed out in the same spot for nearly an hour now. Jack took a sip from his cup again, switching from beer to vodka after he finished his last one. Without the crutch of the blonde girl, he could feel himself beginning to shut down.

He wasn’t sure why he had agreed to this, Jack had gone to parties before, but not without friends across the country. He wasn’t even sure why he applied to a college so far from home, well, he knew why but right now he wished he could be back on the farm. His dad wouldn’t allow it, but he’d much prefer to sleep in the corn fields than be on this couch.

Low by Flo Rida was pulsing throughout the room, as the crowd challenged how low they could go. Jack couldn’t even focus on the lyrics, his head was clouded with too many thoughts for him to handle. His mom hadn’t called him in about a week, he hadn’t even spoken to his sisters in months. He certainly hadn’t spoken to his dad either.

He didn’t belong there.

But he didn’t belong here either.

He didn’t belong in this crowd of party people whose only care in the world is how they’ll feel the next morning. He’d always noticed how much the falling out with the population of his hometown had affected him, but his mom had said he would make new friends in Seattle. But he couldn’t.

He fucking couldn’t

He didn’t wanna leave his dorm room most days or nights, his only friends were Gérard, who _had_ to be nice to him. And Ashley, who he felt only wanted him as a gay best friend. He wouldn’t flourish here like his mother said, he’d flounder like he had before.

Jack stood up, moving through the crowd through his subdued tears. He tried to get out as fast as possible, practically rushing through the double doors. The furthest he could make it was at a stop sign on the corner of the street, before he immediately dropped down in tears. He felt stupid for being here, being at this party, and drunk crying on the sidewalk of a Seattle suburb. He couldn’t even remember the way back to his dorm and his phone had died hours ago.

“Aw what? Not a fan of the musical stylings of Flo Rida?” A voice asked

Jack whipped his head around to see Gabriel Reyes, he was too wasted to be enamored by the man. He quickly turned back around, continuing to pout. “Bad joke, sorry” Gabriel apologized, walking towards him before sitting down adjacent to the blonde.

“What’s got you down, blondie?” He asked, Jack shook his head before burying his head in his hands. “It’s nothing, it’s stupid” He claimed, wiping his tear stained cheeks. He hiccuped a few times during their mutual silence, face flushing from embarrassment.

“Well, I wanted to see if you were sober enough to fuck without regretting it in the morning but I guess not” Gabriel said with a smirk, Jack flushing more as he let out a groan. “Sorry, kidding, kind of. Okay I wasn’t kidding but I wouldn’t say it like that, I’m actually nice, sort of-“

Jack couldn’t help but giggle at the man, lifting his head as he wiped away more tears.

“Hey! Are you laughing at me, freshie?!”

Jack quickly stopped, before Gabriel started laughing. “Jesus, I’m kidding! Loosen up a little bit” He said, Jack crossing his arms and looking down sheepishly.

“Now really, what’s got you down?”

Jack sighed, “I have no friends and my family’s across the country, but my dad hates me and I think my sisters to hate me too. I feel like I don’t belong here, but I don’t belong there either”

Gabriel couldn’t help but frown, “What do you mean your dad hates you?”

Jack let out a huff, “You’re gay too, you should know!”

“I mean, my dad doesn’t hate me but I guess that answers why your’s does. Can I ask what happened?”

The blonde ran his fingers through his hair, biting his lip in thought. He hadn’t really talked about the subject with anyone, much less a senior frat guy who was hotter than fire. “The regular story, got caught with a guy in my room by my dad, guy gets kicked out and dad curses me out for an hour” He proclaimed. “So you were fucking a guy and your dad caught you?” Gabriel asked, Jack shaking his head in response. “Not fucking, just kissing. I..I’ve never uh…”

“You’re a virgin?”

Jack could feel his face light up crimson, “N-not technically...I uh, I used to have short term girlfriends before...I guess I did that..but not with a guy” He stammered. Gabriel simply nodded at his response, chuckling at his stammering, “So you had beards?”

“Beards?”

“A girlfriend or wife that’s meant to cover up you being gay”

“Ah, I guess so, maybe”

They sat together side by side on the concrete, crickets and cicadas singing a chorus around them. Jack had almost forgotten how attractive Gabriel was, and how much more popular the other man was compared to him. He’d almost forgotten how terrified he was.

“I wanna help you, kid”

Jack glanced over, forgetting to think of the fact he just got called a kid. “What do you mean _help me?_ ” The younger man asked Gabriel, “You’re like a lost puppy, freshie. You’re out of your area, you have maybe one friend, and you’re almost a virgin” He pointed out. Jack would’ve normally been offended, but Gabriel was right. He really was a lost puppy.

“Don’t look so embarrassed, blondie, it’s kinda cute. Endearing might be a better term, but you’re still cute along with that” He flirted, Jack only growing more embarrassed. He’d barely flirted with another man before, he had one boy he was involved with in high school and that was it.

“I want to take you on as my protége” He said, almost jokingly. “Teach you the ropes of being a newly out gay man, introduce you to people so you won’t look so sad and lonely all the time, you’ll feel better in no time” Gabriel proclaimed with a laugh. Jack couldn’t help but laugh a little too.

“Where’s that blonde girl you were hanging out with earlier? Can she get you back to your dorm?” Gabriel asked, Jack shaking his head. “She’s getting rammed by some frat guy, even then she’s probably more wasted than me” He explained, Gabriel nodding. “Where’s your dorm?” He asked, “It’s on Redwood” Jack responded.

Gabriel stood up, holding out a hand for Jack to get up too. “Oh that’s not far, I can walk you back, and sorry for not asking earlier, but what’s your name, blondie?”

“Jack Morrison”

Gabriel smirked at him, “Nice to meet you Jack Morrison, I’m Gabriel Reyes”

“Yeah I know”

Gabriel laughed, clapping him on the back as they walked down the sidewalk together. They chatted aimlessly, Jack trying to keep composed as he nearly tripped and fell on an empty beer can.

“Hey Gabriel?”

“Hm?”

Jack pressed a finger to his mouth, unsure of whether or not to actually ask the question on his lips. But he did anyways.

“You were talking about wanting to hook up with me before, how did you know I was gay?”

The older man smirked as he shoved his hands into the pockets of his black jeans. “Straight boys don’t usually stare at other boys like deer in the headlights”

Dammit, it was that obvious.

“Also the converse”

He silently cursed Gérard for being correct, but at the moment, all he could think of was how handsome the man next to him was. How he might have a tiny crush on him already, but already knowing that Gabriel wouldn’t be caught dead dating a freshman.

He didn’t know much other than that, except the fact he was royally fucked.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i hope you guys liked this and i’ll see you on tuesday, xoxo


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hello again! this is a long one so i hope you enjoy <333

Living with Gabriel hadn’t been as bad as he originally thought it would be. They didn’t talk much, but Jack was okay with that. He wanted a place to temporarily live, not so much to find a friend in his ex-boyfriend. Sometimes they’d say hello if they passed by each other when Jack left for work in the morning, sometimes when they both came back from work. But he had a sinking feeling there was another face lurking around the house, sometimes there would be footsteps when he knew Gabriel wasn’t at home. Sometimes the water would run when Gabriel was down in the shop, and some nights he could hear the giggles echo throughout the house.

It wasn’t until the morning of exactly two weeks of Jack living with Gabriel did he meet the mysterious person.

Jack walked downstairs, preparing for his 5:30 AM morning shower and shaving of facial hair that wasn’t there in the first place. He was clad in a stained white t-shirt with a pair of plain blue boxers, when he came face to face with the other man. The man was exiting the bathroom as Jack entered, jumping a bit as he was surprised to see the blonde. “Sorry!” Jack quickly apologized, the other man doing the same.

His skin was pale, brushed with freckles on his nose and cheeks, moving down to his shoulders as well. As Jack’s eyes met the other’s terrified ones, he noticed they were olive green with a burst of golden flecks at his iris. His hair was a disheveled mess, too blonde to be ginger but too ginger to be blonde.

Strawberry blonde.

The man was handsome upon further inspection, and it kind of pissed off Jack. No one likes to admit their ex’s new toy is prettier than themselves.

“I’m so sorry!” He continued to apologize profusely, “It’s so early, I wasn’t expecting you to be up!” The man added, moving out of the way for Jack.

“I used to work on a farm, so I’m usually up pretty early” Jack stated bluntly, the other man quickly nodding. “I know- I mean, god sorry that sounds really weird, I just know about you in general! Sorry, I’m Callum O’Neill” He apologized again, introducing himself as well. Callum held out a hand for Jack to shake, who took it hesitantly.

“Jack Morrison..but I take it you know that already”

The man nodded, “Sorry to bother you, Jack, I’ll be getting out of your way!” He said, before scurrying back to Gabriel’s bedroom. Jack questioned if that interaction really happened or if he was just having a hallucination. He chose to shrug it off, going about his morning routine. His shower lasted a bit longer than they usually did, contemplating if he could handle living with Gabriel and his new boyfriend, especially since the latter was sickenly pleasant. Jack felt guilty for being a tad rude, trying his best not to bang his head against the shower wall in frustration. He’d probably wake up the neighbors along with Gabriel, or possibly split his head open.

Callum would probably be the one to break the door down and have to see an unconscious, naked Jack in the shower. The blonde man shuddered at the thought, choosing to just get out of the shower after realizing his shampoo and conditioner had been fully washed out for about ten minutes by then. After his minimal shaving session, he changed into his work clothes before heading into the kitchen. On the counter, there was a $10 bill and a note.

Jack walked over, picking up the small piece of paper.

_Sorry for spooking you this morning! Have a coffee and pastry on me :)_

Jack could feel his head nearly implode, this guy was way too fucking nice. He wanted to hate him for dating his ex, but he just fucking  couldn’t because of how immediately pleasant he was. Jack had to admit that Gabriel’s exes had definitely given him a bitter taste in his mouth when they were together, and he’d probably hate the exes of a current boyfriend too. If he had one.

This was going to be an issue

~

“Morning, Jack!” Hana greeted, “You got Starbucks? Where’s mine?” She playfully whined. Jack laughed, “Only had $10, I’ll get you something next time” He apologized, Hana grinning from ear to ear at his response. “Are you ready for the Lúcio concert tonight?” She asked.

_Fuck, that’s tonight?_

He quickly nodded, improvising his response, “Yeah, do you want me to pick you up?” He asked. He was afraid she would take offense, but she nodded as well. “Yeah, I think my car’s got some problems so I’m taking it to Junkrat’s tomorrow” Hana responded, fingers typing away at her phone. Probably forgot to schedule that until now.

Junkrat’s was probably the seediest car repair place in town, but they gave low prices and Hana was in good with the owner so she would likely get her car repaired for free. “Alright, so I’ll see you at 7 right? The show starts at 9 but traffic is probs gonna be awful” She said with a sigh, but immediately perking up again. “I’m so excited, Jack! You have absolutely no idea how long I’ve been waiting for Lúcio to come to Seattle, I almost flew to Seoul when he was there last year” She rambled, Jack almost forgot that Hana got enough cash from Twitch donations to afford such a spontaneous trip.

Along with a pink sports car, plastered in stickers of her sponsors.

Jack began to wonder why she was even working at a tiny diner as a hostess.

He spent most of the day anxiously wondering what he’d even wear to the concert, seeing as though he hadn’t been to one in almost half a decade. He didn’t have any Lúcio merchandise he could flaunt, so that was out of the question. He’d also nearly forgotten that he lost most of his clothes in a fire, so most of his options were cheap t-shirts from Target.

Not that there was anything wrong with Target, Jack fucking loved Target.

Jack knew if he was 22, no one would give a single shit what he wore. No one would probably care now, but in his head since he was coming up on 30 in a few short years, he’d really need to up the ante.

Could he still wear converse? Converse had always been his old reliable, but was that acceptable now? What if Hana thought he was trying too hard to be cool? She was 18, 18 year olds can be judgemental as hell. What if she was going to stream the show and all of her followers made fun of him?

He functioned on auto-pilot for most of the day, too caught up in how the world perceived him to focus on anything. He felt as though he was 14 again, entering high school trying to impress the upperclassmen. If he could recall, he got beaten up that day. And if he could recall correctly again, he joined the football team just to spite the nameless seniors who poked fun at him.

Even as he travelled home from work, he was too inside of his own head to the point where he almost ran a few red lights. Thank god his brain kicked back into function before he did something awful.

He’d gotten back to the townhome at around 5:30, waiting out the closing of the record store before entering. Jack stomped up the stairs, as soon as he reached the door to the living room, he was faced with Gabriel looking over his shoulder towards the blonde man. He gave him a smirk, “Someone’s grumpy”

“Anxious is the better word”

“Scared that you had a flyaway hair today?” Gabriel joked, Jack slamming his keys down on the kitchen counter in response. “Dude can you just fuck off?” He responded in frustration, Gabriel standing up to walk over to him.

“Alright I’m sorry, I guess if we’re gonna be roommates we should probably be civil and not constantly sarcastic with each other” He apologized, “So why don’t we put on face masks and get in our coziest jammies and you can tell me all about your problems” He added, sarcastically of course. Jack rolled his eyes, “Do you actually wanna know or are you just fucking with me right now?”

“I suppose I’ll listen”

Jack sat down on one of the bar stools, running a hand through his hair. “I’m going to a concert tonight with a girl from work” Jack explained, Gabriel giving him an odd look. “A concert? With a girl? Are you like straight again or-“

“No! She’s like 18 and she really wanted a guy to go with her that would possibly defend her from creeps while also not hitting on her”

Gabriel nodded along in understanding, “Okay, so what’s the issue?”

Jack let out a groan, “This is gonna sound really stupid, but I’m stressed about what I’m gonna wear.” Gabriel couldn’t help but laugh, but immediately understood the root of the issue. “You’re afraid you’re getting too old for literally everything you do” He commented, Jack nodding in defeat. “I had a crisis over whether or not I could wear converse anymore, like what if I look stupid and get made fun of for being an almost thirty year old man wearing something as simple as converse?” Jack complained, Gabriel leaning up against the counter as he listened.

“Just wear the converse because I doubt anyone is going to be looking at your shoes in a dark, sweaty, crowded arena. As far as an outfit, black jeans and that one striped shirt you got from Target” Gabriel advised, Jack almost not wanting to listen out of spite. But he figured Gabriel wouldn’t give a shit enough to give Jack bad advice.

Jack quickly thanked him, getting up to open the door to the second flight of stairs before Gabriel called out his name.

“And Jack?”

“Hm?”

“Don’t worry about getting old”

Gabriel went silent before a wide grin was plastered across his face, “You don’t look a day over 12”

Jack groaned before slamming the door behind him as he stomped up the stairs. Gabriel’s muffled laughter echoing behind him. Jack wasn’t sure how long he’d survive here, but at least he knew he could survive the concert.

~

Jack took a brief shower to remove the work day’s grime from his body, spending the most time on his hair compared to anything. As the clock approached, 6:45, Jack was actually in a rush to get ready for once. Gabriel laughed as Jack rushed around the house before busting his ass on the stairs. “Fuck off and help me get up” He snarled, Gabriel giving him a hand up. “Have a nice concert, I’ll let your mom know to pick you up at 8” He teased, Jack flipping him off as he left the house.

He was lucky the drive to Hana’s house wasn’t that far, and the traffic had actually been rather forgiving. Once he arrived at her apartment, she practically ran outside with a squeal. She was wearing a Lúcio tank top, her signature pink whiskers she’d wear on stream were a bright green instead, and of course she was wearing the new trendy pair of light up sneakers. “Are you ready for the best concert, ever?!” She said happily as she opened his passenger door. Jack nodded with an almost forced grin, despite Gabriel’s best attempt at reassurance, he was still nervous as hell.

As soon as she clicked her seatbelt on and closed her door, she’d pulled out her phone and opened the twitch app.

“Jack we’re gonna do a stream so be cool for the fans- Hi guys!” She said as she immediately interrupted herself, “It’s D.Va and we’re clearly doing something suuper different! I told you guys before I wouldn’t be doing my regular game stream tonight but I never said why” Hana said as she built up suspense, Jack hoping she wouldn’t face the camera towards him at any point.

“My friend and I here!” She added, as she immediately faced the front facing camera towards him, Jack awkwardly waving. “We’re going to a Lúcio concert tonight! I’m sure you guys know who that is by now, the best DJ ever!” Hana exclaimed, “He’s having a show in Seattle tonight so…wait you need a nickname” She said, turning towards Jack.

“A nickname? Does Jack not work?”

“No! That’s lame, can you think of something else?”

“Well when I played Call of Duty I had my name as Soldier 76…”

“Perfect! So my friend, 76 and I…” She said, “whomIwillsoonbecollaboratingwith” She added in a rushed whisper

“Wait what?!”

“Nothing!”

Hana laughed as Jack let out a heavy sigh, he wondered what kind of games she would ask him to play. The ride for most of the way there was pretty alright, albeit some traffic due to the concert and Hana’s streaming. She teased him with the fact her followers seemed to find him attractive from the few glimpses they got of him. “Sorry ladies, he bats for the other team!” Hana claimed, turning her head to give a giggle. Jack rolled his eyes, becoming more and more excited as they got closer to the concert venue.

Not particularly because of the concert, but rather the fact Hana would probably have to stop streaming.

It had taken them about ten minutes to find an open parking spot once they’d arrived at the stadium. And of course the walk from the parking spot to the ticket line was just as excruciating. Hana hadn’t stopped streaming like he’d thought, but she’d at least moved on from teasing him and onto video game releases.

“Yeah I know I haven’t talked a lot about E3, which I understand is pretty weird since I got the amazing opportunity to go but I’ve been super busy!” She exclaimed with a sad sigh, “But there are so many games I’m planning on getting and streaming for you guys, Fallout 76 especially, heh..76..” She laughed as she glanced over to Jack who sarcastically frowned.

“I trademarked 76 like a decade ago so I better get a goddamn share”

Hana giggled, “But yeah…” She stopped mid sentence to read the chat for questions, “Am I going to any gaming conventions in the near future? Of course! Blizzcon as always, and then I’m so excited to be able to go to Gamescom!” She cheerfully revealed. Hana streamed the entire walk to the ticket line until the security guards asked her to stop. He was a little thankful for that if he was being totally honest.

It was an hour before Lúcio’s set started that they finally got into the arena. Jack bought himself a beer like an adult, but also refusing Hana any alcohol. She was okay with that, she settled on a coke instead. Shuffling to the bar and back to their spot at the front of the arena was far more difficult than anticipated, they were both lucky Hana was a cute, small girl who could surprisingly charm an entire crowd of people.

The opening act was okay, he could tell the Korean girl was starting to become a bit antsy awaiting the main act of the night. Jack was just wanting something to distract him from how shitty the beer tasted. She’d forced Jack to take selfies with her to post on her instagram,

“Caption...fun…summer...nights, bunny girls emoji, frog emoji, heart emoji…” She copied slowly as she typed out her caption, “Oh yeah, what’s your instagram name so I can tag you?”

“@jack.morrison76”

“You really like the number 76, don’t you?”

“I suppose so”

The pad of her pointer finger pressed on the send button, giving him a grin. “You’re totally gonna gain like, a bajillion followers now!” She exclaimed with glee. Jack nodded contently, he wasn’t totally lacking on instagram followers but he supposed a few more would be nice. Maybe someone would finally appreciate his white text memes.

The opening act ended their set at around 9:30, the crowd mildly clapping in applause. The band was good, but no one came for them. Everyone here spent however much money for Lúcio, except for Jack. Jack didn’t spend a dime despite offering to pay Hana for the extra ticket, but she refused.

The lights dimmed, before turning a vibrant shade of green. Everyone in the stadium simultaneously let out a roar of cheers, Hana letting out a scream right in Jack’s ear. The stage had one of those rising platforms, lifting the man and his DJ booth above the crowd. Lúcio waved to the crowd, his frog mask with the same smile as always. In Jack’s opinion it was a little terrifying, but Hana seemed to have loved it.

_“If I had the money I would totally make a bunny suit just like it! That’s what I should’ve done when I started streaming, be like an enigma or something”_

“Make some noise, Seattle!” He said cheerfully, there must’ve been a mic behind the mask. The crowd let out another roar, Hana’s screams continuously getting louder. Jack’s ears were already starting to ring, but he let out a small woo to play along.

And then the music started to play, the bass bumping through the speakers around the arena. Hana was already dancing like crazy, her hands in the air as she jumped along with everyone. Jack half heartedly did the same, he soon realized he hadn’t done anything like this in a while. He went to one concert once a year ago with his friends, it was an Ariana Grande concert and he could barely remember the show because he’d taken too many shots trying to pregame. Before that, it was probably like 2011 when he’d charmed Gabriel into taking him to a Britney Spears show in Vancouver.

God that was a good show.

Over the course of the night, there were a few guest singers that had appeared on some of Lúcio’s tracks. Some of them were actually super good, Jack had made note to buy a few on iTunes when he got back. Hana had been freaking out the entire night, she even managed to stream a few minutes on Instagram Live. Jack tried his best not to be seen, but of course she constantly pointed the camera right in his face. She’d also taken a few videos for her other social media pages as well, Jack wondered what he would’ve been like if social media was super prominent when he was 18. He had a facebook, and a twitter, and a myspace…but he had to admit they were all pretty lame in comparison to now.

The show had flown by in what had felt like maybe an hour, but it had actually been about three. Once Jack checked his phone, he saw it was almost 1:30 AM just as Lúcio was performing his encore. Hana had grown more disappointment that she hadn’t bought meet & greet passes as well. Jack had told her there was always next time.

She didn’t seem very content with that answer.

As soon as the lights came up, everyone immediately rushed for the doors. It had taken them about another half an hour for them to ever reach the doors to outside of the stadium. Beer covered the floors, causing their shoes to almost stick to the ground as they walked. Hana had also pointed out a few shattered phones on the ground as well along with a girl vomiting in a trash can surrounded by her friends. He missed being at that age where that was socially acceptable, being 30 and heaving into a trash can is more noticeable compared to someone who’s 22.

“Can we go get food after this?” Hana whined

“What would even be open now?”

She gave him a smile, and he wasn’t sure what he’d gotten himself into.

~

And so they sat in an iHop at almost three in the morning. Hana pointing her phone at his face as she streamed on Twitch. “So we just got back from the concert, which was SUPER awesome, and here we are at iHop!” She exclaimed happily, she tapped her bright green nails against her drink, “Which serves Mountain Dew, and if you don’t know, they’re one of my many sponsors! Do the Dew!” She added with a giggle, “It’s fitting that you’re sponsored by Mountain Dew, seeing as though it’s like 65% of your diet” Jack retorted with a grin.

She stuck her tongue out at him over her phone, “So what are you ordering on this fine summer evening, 76?” Hana asked, “The people wanna know”

“Belgian Waffle Combo with grits too”

“Grits?! Blegh!” She said with a gag, “They taste like nothing, it’s like eating sloppy nothing! You’re not even southern, why do you like grits?”

“Well I lived like not even two hours from Kentucky and my mom is from there too, so I guess I get it from that” He mentioned, Hana nodding.

“They’re still gross”

Once Hana stopped streaming, they chatted as normal. But Jack noticed a particularly voice coming from around the restaurant, and right now it was coming from the receipt line. He quickly shushed Hana, attempting to listen in on the conversation the voice was having.

“Dude, that’s totally him”

“What?”

“Lúcio” He whispered, subtly pointing to the check out line at a dark man dressed in bright green. “That has to be him” He added, Hana glancing over and quickly shaking her head in disbelief. “No way! That can’t be him, why would he be here?!” She whispered, an anxious tone in her voice. “I don’t know, dude! People like iHop, I guess?” Jack pointed out, Hana attempting to hide her face from the man in the check out line.

“I’m gonna go see if it’s him”

“No, no, no, no and no! You’ll humiliate both of us!”

Jack sighed and rolled his eyes, “Worst case scenario we’re wrong and he gets mistaken for one of the best DJs in the world, seriously, it’s not that bad.” She attempted to discourage him further, but Jack had already walked over to the register.

The man was much smaller than Jack anticipated, standing at almost a foot shorter than him. Once Jack caught his attention, he let out a smile, “Hey, sorry if this sounds weird, but you’re Lúcio, right?” Jack asked, the shorter man immediately grinning right back. “Right you are, were you at the show?” Lúcio asked, Jack nodding but gesturing over at his table as well. “I have a girl with me that’s a way bigger fan though, you’d probably make her entire life if you just said hi” He suggested, Lúcio quickly nodded in agreement.

“Sure man, I’d love to!”

As they walked over, he could see Lúcio’s eyes begin to widen as he got a glimpse of Hana’s face, but he immediately let out a big grin.

“Wow, D.Va in the flesh!” Lúcio exclaimed, Hana merely staring at him like a deer in the headlights. Hana wasn’t usually one to not know what to say, but he could tell she really didn’t not know what to say.

“Do you watch her streams?” Jack asked, hoping to get a conversation going between them. Lúcio glanced over to Jack with a nod, “I’ve been watching every night since I started going on tour, I was pretty excited to hear that you’d be going tonight! I was hoping you’d be at the meet & greet”

“I overslept the morning of ticket sales so could only get floor seats with no access pass…” She mumbled, “Aw man, I should’ve shot you a message, I could’ve sent you one” He said with a frown, but immediately cheering up. “How about a picture, the three of us?” He asked

“How about I’ll get one of you two and then a selfie of us?” Jack suggested, Hana quickly nodding in excitement. She handed Jack her phone, “Send this to me on Instagram too!” Lúcio noted to Hana, who nodded happily. Jack grinned and snapped the picture of them. One day he’ll be at their wedding and say they met at an iHop at 3 AM, maybe.

Once he was done with their photo, Hana took her phone back before preparing to shoot a selfie with the other two. Jack was sure he was making more of a nervous grin, but he didn’t mind. He and Hana had always been on good terms, waving hi to each other in the morning and goodbyes in the evening.

But he hadn’t had a chance to really get to know her before tonight, and to be fully honest, she was everything Jack wished he could be at 18. She knew exactly who she was, and embraced it. She had an unshakable confidence that Jack wishes he had now, and she was unwittingly kind to everyone she was around.

Despite Jack dreading this concert at first, he was glad he agreed to it. Because perhaps he had made a friend.

A real friend.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> whew! i hope u guys enjoyed and lmk of any mistakes


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> yeet

He’d gotten back to the house at around 5 AM, too tired to even make it back upstairs. The couch had looked incredibly comfortable to pass up, so plush and so sleepable. The invitation was too nice to pass up, and so he flopped on the couch face down. He hadn’t even cared to grab a blanket or a pillow for himself, he was beat. He hadn’t intended to stay at the iHop with Lúcio and Hana for so long, but those two didn’t want to stop talking to each other. They’d even planned to stream together.

Jack was happy to wingman, it had always been something he was great at, but god damn he had wanted nothing more than to leave and get to sleep. Not even two cups of coffee could help him, he could’ve sworn he’d nearly fallen asleep at the wheel a few times on their way back. Jack had forgotten how much energy concerts can take out of a person, because he was dead asleep about five minutes after he hit the couch.

He’d somehow managed to sleep through Gabriel’s loud morning routine and the sounds of rock music playing a floor below him, it hadn’t been until around 4 PM did his blue eyes begin to flutter open. Jack felt warmer than he had before, with the feeling of soft fabric rubbing against his body being added as well. He sat up and stretched out with a yawn, rubbing the sleep out of his eyes before glancing over towards the coffee table. There was a piece of paper, along with another ten dollar bill.

_You looked cold! Have a good morning, or afternoon! Have another coffee, on me_

_Callum_

He contemplated whether or not he should shower before walking over to Starbucks. He would be in public, but also not for very long. Starbucks was only across the street, he’d shower later. Jack stood up, stretching out his arms again as his eyes gazed over his shoes that had been properly straightened beside the couch.

He felt bad for not properly thanking Callum the day before, so he grabbed the note and grabbed a pen from the small desk in the living room.

_Thank you for the coffee and making sure I wasn’t cold_

_Jack_

He placed the note back on the table before he slipped on his shoes, exiting the apartment and trudging down the steep stairs. The music pulsed through the store, Jack choosing to merely ignore it. He headed down the second set of stairs before realizing he hadn’t checked the time before he left. It was too late for that now, because once his presence became known, all eyes were on him.

Particularly a set of piercing golden eyes.

Amélie Guillard

“Excuse me, Gabriel, where the fuck did he come from?” She snarled, crossing her arms as her stare practically stabbed through him. Jack had known Amélie about as long as he’d known Gabriel, because Amélie and Gabriel had been friends since forever as well. If anything Jack was the reason why she had dated Gérard Lacroix in the first place, seeing as though as they broke up about four years before, she probably hated him back then too.

But now she really hated him, and she’d always made sure he knew it. For three weeks after he’d broken with Gabriel, she harassed him via text message every single day. He understood she was likely super upset by the state Gabriel had been in at the time, but that shit had definitely hurt. And to be fair, she had also just broken up with Lena at the time after a rather short stint.

As far as he knew, Lena and Amélie were on okay terms now. Lena was a regular at the bar he worked at, along with her fiancée Emily. Lena had told Jack they’d chat if they ever crossed paths, but that seemed to be the extent of their relationship.

Now wasn’t the right time to think of Amélie’s past right now, because she looked just about ready to stab him with a pair of red bottom heels. “Who is that?” A man asked, leaning up against the counter with a hum. His brown hair was almost unprofessionally disheveled, not like Gabriel would really care. His soft brown eyes kept his gaze on Jack for uncomfortably long, Jack immediately trying to look anywhere else. Gabriel had showed up a few minutes too late, waltzing out of his office before glancing over to Jack.

“Oh, uh, morning Jack”

Amélie spun on her heels to angrily stare at Gabriel, “Is that all you have to say?! This asshole casually saunters out of your apartment and you can only say that?!” She snapped, “And what about Callum?! Why would you cheat on him?!”

“Wait that’s Jack?” A man with bright green hair asked, turning around as he sorted through the record cases.

“Okay first off, I’m not cheating on anyone or doing anything with anyone, Callum’s not even officially my boyfriend” He shot back at her, Jack immediately moving his gaze to Gabriel, looking shocked. “He’s not your boyfriend?! Then why have you been fucking him like, every night?!”

“You’re fucking him and he’s not even your real boyfriend?!” She growled, Gabriel rolling his eyes with a huff. “We’ve gone on a few dates, that’s it, we haven’t done anything” He claimed, Jack furrowing his eyebrows in response.

“Bull fucking shit! The walls are thin, asshole” Jack retorted, Gabriel groaning, “I have better things to do than argue about my personal affairs” Gabriel immediately shot up into a grin however, “But look at you two! Getting along, being on the same side! Soon enough you’ll be besties”

Amélie clenched her fists, “We’re not-“

But Gabriel had already gone back into his office with a slam of the door before she could even say anything. Leaving Jack to stand there awkwardly as two other faces poked around from their respective work stations. Another Asian man, but instead his hair was raven black with an undercut compared to the other’s green locks. He merely gave Jack a disapproving stare, glancing over towards the man at the register to see how he stared. Jack immediately had an idea of what was going on.

Well, that’s...interesting

The other person was a tall, slender woman with cropped ginger hair and if anything her gaze was far more terrifying than anyone else’s.

“Who is that? He has high cheekbones…” She acknowledged, the dark haired man turning to give her a weird glance, “What an odd thing to say.”

“High cheekbones are generally a sign of a more symmetrical face...and they project honesty”

Jack rushed out of the store before the woman could make any more weird scientific comments about him, and before Amélie could kill him. There wasn’t really anyone to blame but himself for that situation, he should’ve checked the time before waltzing down the stairs like he owned the place. But he knew for sure he was going to wait until 5:30 before even walking back.

~

Once he arrived back from Starbucks, he had maybe ten minutes to sit down and relax before needing to get ready for work. But the sound of Gabriel rushing around the house kept him far too stimulated for his pleasure. He glanced over to see Gabriel in a dress shirt and pants, fumbling with his cuffs and tie. He could hear the sound of cologne being spritzed, and Jack was now genuinely interested in what exactly the man was preparing for. And as the smell of citrus and chicken hit his nose, he knew what was going down.

Jack stood up and walked down the hallway, Gabriel primping himself in the mirror. “You’re totally asking Callum to be your boyfriend tonight aren’t you?” Jack asked with a smirk, Gabriel glancing over with an annoyed look on his face. “When did you get so nosy?” He asked, Jack laughing as he shook his head.

“I’m not being nosy, I’m making an observation because you did the exact same thing for me when we first started dating” He revealed humorously, Gabriel’s face immediately falling.

“Shit, really?”

“I’d be offended if I cared that much, but basically you did the same thing where you surprised me with a home cooked dinner consisting of your grilled citrus-marinated chicken recipe, and pinot noir”

Gabriel let out a groan in frustration, “Fuck, now I have to restart everything.” Jack quickly shushing him, “Dude it’s no big deal, it’s not like he knows, it’s a nice gesture” He consoled. Gabriel sighed again, accepting to go along with it. But Jack couldn’t help but laugh a little.

“Okay, now what, asshole?”

Jack pointed towards his chest, where his tie was currently knotted up, looking more like a badly tied bow more than anything. “Fuck off, I haven’t worn a tie in years” Gabriel grumbled, Jack swatting the other man’s hands out of the way as he attempted to fumble with it more. “I’m a certified wingman, granted mostly to girls, but still, I’ll fix it instead you letting you ruin your tie” He promised, gingerly unknotting the tie.

It was incredibly awkward, it probably would’ve been incredibly awkward even if they were just friends with no romantic history. But Jack wanted to be nice to Gabriel, perhaps have more of a friendship instead of awkward smiles with lingering animosity and uncomfortableness. Along with aggressive sarcastic banter.

Once Jack was done, both of them immediately glanced away from each other. Jack awkwardly patted Gabriel’s shoulder, “Good luck, I’ll see if I can stay over at Brigitte’s, don’t wanna intrude” He said, giving a wink before realizing that definitely made things more tense than before. Jack quickly rushed out of the room to get prepared for work, somewhat wishing that entire situation had not happened. Gabriel would probably talk about it with Callum and Callum would assume Jack was making a move, which was not true.

Jack wondered why he couldn’t be nice to Gabriel without making things weird, maybe he was just better off leaving their relationship at the minimal side of pleasant.

Maybe it would be better that way.

~

When he arrived at work, he knew it would be rather quiet. The club only had a few regulars mixing and mingling before things started to really get busy. Two of them being Lena and her girlfriend, whom had immediately seen him and ran over.

“Long time no see!” The brunette girl said excitedly, her arm wrapped around the ginger girl’s waist. Jack smiled back at the British women, “It’s been a while, how are you guys?” He asked, Emily smiling back at him. “We’ve been really good, we’re currently on the lookout for a house somewhere” She said, looking over towards her fiancée with a soft smile. Jack gave a small, but excited clap in response, “That’s awesome, congratulations!”

“How have you been, love?” Lena asked, Jack’s smile beginning to dim. “Oh, I’ve been okay, I suppose” He responded, almost honestly. Lena frowned at him, “I heard about your apartment, I’m so sorry Jack” She consoled.

“It’s okay, he’s been staying with his ex-boyfriend” Brigitte teased, Lena’s jaw immediately dropping. “No way, Gabriel?!” She questioned, Jack rolling his eyes at the Swedish girl who couldn’t help but laugh. “Thanks for the great explanation” He said sarcastically, “I’m just staying in the second bedroom until I can get back on my feet, it’s no big deal, really. I’m already beginning to look at apartments.” Lena nodded, but her eyes were still colored by concern, “I won’t judge, but that sounds like a recipe for disaster, dontcha think?”

Jack shrugged, “I personally don’t think so, it’s been...mostly fine. He has a new boyfriend that hangs out a lot, but he’s super nice” He quickly explained, and it seems as if his statement had only made the three of them even more shocked. “And you have no issue with that?” Emily asked, Jack shook his head

“He’s nice enough, I suppose”

Emily gave him a weird look, her ginger eyebrows furrowing, “That’s...not- okay.”

“Why are you guys talking to me like I’m secretly pining over him and planning to be a homewrecker?”

The three girls glanced at one another, seemingly growing concerned. It was Emily who had finally spoken up, after the others waited to see who would go. “Jackie, nobody's accusing you of anything, but you were with him for a very long time, this isn’t as simple as if you two were a mere fling” She explained, “Why are you guys telling me what’s simple for me and what’s not?” He argued.

Brigitte let out a sigh, “We aren’t saying you’re still in love with him or anything, but he was your best friend, that complicates matters further. It’s just as hard to lose a best friend as it is a lover.”

“You think I don’t know that?!”

 

And as the three girls ceased to speak, Jack was growing annoyed, attempting to steer away from the conversation topic, “So how is the wedding planning going?” He asked the British girls. Lena grinned and gave him a thumbs up, “Emily’s looking at dresses, I can’t decide if I wanna wear one or not” She claimed, leading for the group to gossip on about their wedding.

Jack couldn’t help but think back on what Lena had said earlier, was living with Gabriel really a recipe for disaster? Things hadn’t been too bad, minus the lingering awkwardness, but Jack was only going to live there temporarily. Soon after Jack moved out, they’d go back to not interacting and everything would be okay.

And he was fine with that.

He was fine.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hey everyone!!! skyler is super busy today so it's abbey, her friend, posting for her. i just wanted to take the time to thank you all for supporting her and enjoying her fic. she works so hard on each and every one of these chapters so seeing all of you showing love and support makes me so happy. anyways, i hope you all enjoyed the new chapter. stay amazing! <3 - abbey


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hi! whew formatting this was terrible lmao, not a fan of iMac's let me tell u that. i hope you guys enjoy this!!!

He’d stayed over at Brigitte’s the previous night, sleeping on her rather uncomfortable couch with a rather thin blanket barely covering his body. His feet kept slipping out throughout the entire night, but if he pulled the blanket down it would leave his upper body feeling just as cold. Seattle wasn’t that hot, but he had wondered if her indoor temperature reflected her missing the rather mild temperatures of Sweden. He was almost grateful when she had woken up at around 8 AM, allowing him a window to leave without being rude. 

“Morning sleepy head!” She said happily, heading to her kitchen to pour a cup of coffee that she had begun brewing last night. “How did you sleep?” Brigitte asked sweetly, giving him a small smile. Jack smiled back, “I slept fine” He lied as he sat up on the couch. He ran his fingers through his disheveled blonde hair, hoping he didn’t look too disgusting since the sweat and residue from the hectic night before had taken its place all over him. “Did Freyja bother you at all?” She asked, the fuzzy white cat taking her place on the counter as she asked to be pet. 

“Not that I can remember”

Brigitte nodded, “Well have I to head over to Reinhardt’s with my dad, apparently he’s having some vehicle issues” She said, “Do you want any breakfast before I go?” She added on as well. Jack shook his head as he stood up, “I’m okay, I need to get back to the apartment anyways” He claimed. The red headed girl grabbed her keys from the counter, “You can stay for as long as you like, I’ll see you later blondie!” She said as she bid farewell. 

“Tell Ana and Rein I say hi, your dad too” Jack responded as he gathered his things from the couch. As she left, Jack was soon to follow. He was a little terrified of running into the workers at the shop as he arrived back at Gabriel’s apartment. But it’s not like he’d have to interact with them, he could just sneak by and be on his own in the apartment until it was time for work that night.

He hoped he could, anyways. 

~

Once Jack arrived back at the building, he gave an awkward wave to the workers before running up to the second floor. Amélie had stopped him before he could even touch the door handle, “Gabriel told us no one could go up” She asserted. Her bronze eyes pierced through him, but Jack pulled back his shoulders as he attempted to hold his own despite the fact he felt like a cowering puppy. “I think he meant you guys” Jack retorted, Amélie merely glaring back at him. 

“He said no one could go up, there was no exception for you”

Jack attempted to not be infuriated by the younger woman talking down to him, but he took his loss either way.

“What do you suggest I do then?” 

Amélie rolled her eyes before shrugging, “You can go sit outside, or go to Starbucks and nurse a black coffee you claim to like to look cool.” Jack clenched his fists, wanting to argue with her, but instead he exhaled a breath he had been holding in for too long. “I’ll just sit in the shop, I’m sure none of your coworkers would mind, right?” He asked, faking sincerity. He could tell the woman was taken aback, but said nothing in response, just turning and walking away. 

Jack could only follow her down the stairs, the rest of the Blackwatch crew moving their eyes towards him. The green haired man gave him another wave, “Back so soon?” He asked. The blonde nodded, “Apparently Amélie was told that no one was allowed in the apartment.” He raised an eyebrow, “Surely that wasn’t meant for you? He must’ve only meant us.”

Jack could only shrug, eyes averting to the brunette who had just pulled up an extra stool next to his at the register counter. “We don’t mind if ya hang out, Jack, more than welcome actually” He claimed, shooting a grin over at the blonde. Jack could tell he was flirting, not only by his tone but also the glance the other dark haired man had been giving him. He took the spot next to him anyways, it’s not like he had anything better to do. 

“I don’t think I’ve been formally introduced to everyone...except Amélie of course” Jack said, the frenchwoman shooting him another glare. The other man laughed, “Right, well I’m Jesse, Gabe and everyone calls me McCree though” He said before gesturing to the green haired man. “Genji, pretty cool guy” Genji immediately shot Jesse a pair of finger guns, Jesse doing the same in return. He then moved his gesture to the black haired man who seemed not keen on Jack, “‘s Hanzo, Genji’s brother, he’s cool too.” Instead of giving Jesse a thumbs up or something similar, he just continued to ignore the two of them as he dusted off the guitars on display. 

The last to be introduced was the rather mysterious redhead, who ended up being named Moira. Apparently she had a doctors license, so he wasn’t positive as to why she would be working at a music shop. He kept quiet however, he wasn’t sure exactly what she was capable of. 

Jesse continued to attempt to flirt with him after he introduced everyone else, Jack only feeling slightly off put by the other man’s actions. 

“You have a bit of a twang in your voice, where’re you from?” He asked with a sly grin, “I guess Gabriel never told you where I’m from?” Jack responded curiously. Jesse pursed his lips, “He’d rather not to talk about you much, but Amélie gave us some details I s’pose.” 

“Indiana, actually, my mom grew up in Kentucky though and we’re only about an hour out from Louisville so maybe that’s what you hear?” He suggested, Jesse giving an enthusiastic nod. “Sounds like you got an interesting history!” Jesse responded back, Jack unsure if he was being serious or not. He could feel a pair of eyes set on him, a few actually. 

“You have an interesting family history too, Jesse!” Genji said as he spoke up, egging him on to talk more to the blonde. Wait, didn’t that guy’s brother like Jesse? “Don’t you have something better to do than make googly eyes at McCree?” Amélie shot at Jack, who chose to ignore her. “I have nothing but time, Jesse” Jack replied, with maybe a bit of sarcasm in his tone. “Well, my mom’s Navajo and Mexican, my dad’s Irish and Scottish, with some other stuff mixed in there as well. I feel I come from a sophisticated bunch” Jesse claimed with pride. 

Hanzo had then chosen to speak up for the first time in about ten minutes.

“For someone who claims to be sophisticated, you have…” 

He could feel Hanzo’s brown eyes gaze before him,

“Quite unsophisticated tastes” 

Jesse sighed, “Come on, don’t knock whisky till you try it!”

Jesse seemed to be oblivious, but he knew Hanzo was not referring to whisky. Unless Jesse’s preferred whisky was both blonde and not wanting to be there in that moment. Genji seemed to have sided with his brother on that one, perhaps also not knowing what he had really been referring to. 

“Are we having the sake and whisky argument again?” A voice said. 

A rather disheveled Gabriel appeared from the stairway, dressed in only a t-shirt and a pair of sweatpants. “Sorry to lock you out, Jack, but it’s fine now” He acknowledged, Jack standing up from his temporary post next to Jesse to trudge back up to the apartment. He hoped not to run into Callum, he’d had enough awkwardness for one day. He also hoped he wouldn’t have to see Callum in one of Gabriel’s t-shirts. Not like he’d particularly care, 

he wouldn’t.

~

He’d spent most of the day on his grindr account, scrolling through countless profiles of gay or bisexual men in the Seattle area. He hadn’t been looking to get laid at that very moment, but perhaps he was just looking for something different. Something to do, someone to talk to. In the past, Jack wouldn’t dare to send a message first, but he was really bored. 

And by the time his phone buzzed, he’d hoped it had been one of the cute guys he’d messaged earlier. But instead, it was just an old friend.

Gérard  
  
Hey  
  
hey gérard, long time no talk! (Smiling Face With Smiling Eyes )  
  
It has been a while, hasn’t it?  
  
yeah, sorry man i've been super busy lately  
  
It's alright, I am as well  
  
maybe i'm reading too into it  
  
but you seem pretty serious right now  
  
everything okay?  
  
You're right about feeling pretty "serious" I suppose  
  
Business plans stressing me out  
  
you wanna talk about it?  
  
or is that not allowed? idk what ur business rules are  
  
It's fine, it's allowed I suppose  
  
We’ve been talking about expansion into the states for a while now, talking constantly about location   
  
mhm?  
  
I think we've decided where  
  
where??  
  
Seattle  
  


Jack was stunned by the man’s revelation, almost unable to move as he made sure what he was reading was correct. Gérard Lacroix, previously one of his closest friends in the world, who had said he would be moving back to France for good, could possibly be visiting again soon. He wasn't sure for how long Gérard would be in the states, but he was pretty excited anyways. 

well that’s awesome! i’d love to see your business here  
  
but why are you so worked up over it?  
  
I want to oversee the operations  
  
Possibly move back to Seattle  
  
Permanently  
  
really??  
  
i thought you were dead set on staying in france?  
  
not that i'm not stoked that you'll be here  
  
I was dead set on staying in France for a while, but I guess I changed my mind  
  
sorry if i shouldn’t ask, but why?  
  
You know why  
  


Jack bit his lip in discomfort, not really sure what to say in response to his friend after such a revelation.

gérard can i ask you something  
  
Shoot  
  
are you contemplating moving here for yourself or for her?  
  
Myself  
  
Maybe a bit of both  
  
Her  
  
i  
  
gérard i’d be super happy for you to come back to seattle but are you sure you wanna do this?  
  
what happens if she rejects you?  
  
Then I’ll live here still, perhaps carrying a bit more pain  
  
Not like I wasn't before  
  


Jack could remember when Gérard and Amélie had broken up, after countless nights of arguing on their future that would always end with both of them calling Jack and Gabriel in tears. Gérard wanted to move back to France to start a business, Amélie wanted to stay in Seattle to pursue art. Needless to say, the break up hadn’t necessarily been clean. He remembered driving Gérard to the airport, who had been crying the entire drive there. There were a lot of nitty gritty details that Jack had forgotten, but the one thing he could remember clearly were the words Gabriel had said to him after the nightly phone call. 

_Thank god we’ll never be like that_

They were like that, eventually. 

obviously you don’t need my permission to move here  
  
and i’d be more than happy to be able to hang out with you again  
  
but think about it  
  
think about what happens if things don’t work out with her  
  
I appreciate you looking out for me, but I think I’m definitely moving out to Seattle again  
  
I actually just decided on a penthouse to buy  
  
oh  
  
okay well cool  
  
when do you get in?  
  
Next Friday  
  
oh alright  
  
see you then  
  
Bye Jack  
  
bye  
  


He shut off his phone, placing it on the bedside table as he stared up at the ceiling, arms stretched out as he contemplated the thought of Gérard coming back. It’s as if life had been playing a game with him, bring back people from his past to show him how much he hasn’t accomplished. First Gabriel, and now Gérard. Gabriel was running his own music shop, he had his own place in the city and a super kind boyfriend. Gérard owned a penthouse in Paris (another in Seattle now too) and had a super successful business, he was probably on the verge of being a millionaire by now. And what had Jack been doing?

Bussing tables? Serving drinks to drunk gay men? Living out of his ex boyfriend’s house? And there was no telling who else life could throw at him. He would just have to wait and brace for impact.

Maybe moving back to Indiana wasn’t such a bad idea after all.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> please comment if you have any recommendations or corrections for me that I missed, thank u so much i love u guys!


	8. Chapter 8

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> it's rather early, isn't it? lol
> 
> i just wanted to get this out now instead of whenever I wake up later so I don't keep you guys waiting! 
> 
> anyways, another flashback chapter! not only do jack and gabriel learn new things about each other, you guys learn some new things about them too! enjoy!!!
> 
> there's a tiny bit of foreign language in there so let me know if I made any mistakes, I try to keep the languages as minimal as possible because I have no source to go by so go easy on me lol, hover for translations!

 

_November 2008_

For the past few months, Jack could actually feel himself beginning to feel normal again. He no longer felt as if he had lost interest in everything he used to enjoy, he had actually wanted to get out of bed most days. Even though he had only one class with the senior, the plans with Gabriel were enough to keep him going through the day instead of faking a cough so he could curl up in his dorm, alone. Jack was still rather embarrassed to admit the small crush on the man, but he’d be over it soon enough. He was just happy to have a friend, a real friend.

It was around 9 AM when the eventual knocking came on his door. Jack knew he was only half dressed, but he wouldn’t want to leave the older man waiting. He threw on a pair of jeans before swinging the door open, seeing Gabriel holding two cups of coffee. His brown eyes set on Jack almost immediately, giving him a smirk, 

“Are you sure that outfit follows dress code, Mr Morrison?”

Jack then realized he had forgotten to throw on a shirt. Despite being embarrassed, Gabriel merely laughed before letting himself in. He sat down at one of the two desk chairs, watching as Jack rustled around the room for a clean shirt. All the blonde could find was a Metroid t-shirt, Gabriel raising an eyebrow at him. “Nintendo fan, huh?” He asked, taking a sip from his own cup of coffee. Jack shrugged, “Kind of, I mostly like the Metroid series” He admitted.

Gabriel simply nodded, Jack giving a grin as he put his hands on his hips. “Sporty guy like you, you must be _too cool_ for video games” Jack teased, but instead Gabriel just shook his head with a laugh. “Not really man, I’ve got a few consoles back at the frat house, we mostly play GTA 4 together though but I just got Fallout 3 and Saints Row 2 for myself” He corrected, leaving Jack a bit more flushed than before. “We just got Brawl for our Wii too, are you more of a Melee guy?” Gabriel added

“Melee”

“Me too”

He learned little things about Gabriel everyday, whether it was how he took his coffee or if it was the fact he preferred the red starbursts over the rest, they were all things he wanted to know. Jack wondered if Gabriel was as interested in learning small things about him too.

Not like Jack had been an open book from the moment they’d met.

It was almost frightening how easily they’d integrated into each other’s lives, but Jack was still too terrified to tell his mom about Gabriel. He wasn’t sure she’d be so accepting of the fact Gabriel had poured mezcal down his throat the weekend before. Or the fact Gabriel smoked him up for the first time the weekend before that. Or the vandalization of the house of a rival fraternity with the other frat guys. 

Yeah, he probably wouldn’t say a thing to his mother.

The frat boys had willingly accepted him as an ally after that stint. Gabriel had even invited Jack to multiple social outings with some of his friends outside of the fraternity. Most notably, 17 year old Amélie Guillard who was enrolled as a Freshman art student. She seemed wary of Jack, but Jack rather admired her. Apparently she’d moved away from her home country of France for reasons unexplained to Gabriel, but she lived on her own across the world and was accepted into a rather “prestigious” university at a young age.

She still gave him weird looks however.

But hopefully she’d learn to like him, for Gabriel’s sake at least 

~

They ended up running late to class by about ten minutes, their professor giving them a dirty glare as they abruptly entered. “Nice of you two to finally show up!” The man proclaimed, Gabriel smirking in response as the two took their seats. “It’s nice to see you too, Mr. Camacho” was all Gabriel said back, the class giggling along. “Mr. Reyes, just because you can already speak Spanish does not mean you can constantly show up late” He scolded, “You still have to pass for your bachelor’s degree” He added.

“Mr. Camacho, when was the last time I ever got below a 95?” Gabriel asked 

“Your last partner project, in which you got a 64, which brings us into our plans for this next week, you and a partner will be writing an essay as well as preparing a presentation _in Spanish_ on a country with a significant Spanish speaking population that I’ll randomly pick for you” The professor explained, Gabriel letting out a huff before confidentially throwing an arm around Jack, who cowered next to him. “That’s fine, Morrison will be my partner” He proudly proclaimed, the professor glancing over to Jack, “Is that alright with you, Mr. Morrison?”

He simply gave a thumbs up

Their professor merely nodded, and shortly after they had been assigned Panama. They spent most of class whispering and goofing off, Jack at least trying to read the boring text book they received on the country they had been assigned. They’d both silently agreed they would do it on their own time after class, despite their professor keeps a close eye on the two. “Have you done any work yet?” The man questioned, Gabriel shaking his head. “Jack and I don’t work very well in a crowded setting” He falsey explained, “We would much prefer to work on our own after class.” The professor raised an eyebrow but nodded and walked on. Jack wasn’t sure how Gabriel was able to charm his way out of most things, but he really appreciated not having to do research solely out of that stupid book.

Once the class had ended, they both immediately went to the fraternity house. They both had about four or five hours until their next class of the day, so it’s not like they had anywhere to be at that moment. It felt almost natural, riding with the top down of Gabriel’s suspiciously nice car. “How could you even afford this?” Jack asked over the sound of the wind blowing behind them.

“18th birthday present” Gabriel explained, Jack raising an eyebrow. “You come from a rich family?” He asked, but Gabriel shook his head with a shrug. “We were dirt poor for a while, but my dad decided to take a risk and go to graduate school for a masters in Law. I remember my parents arguing about it a lot, since the school was expensive as shit, but it worked out in the end I guess, my mom’s tiny restaurant also started gaining some momentum too” Gabriel explained, Jack giving a nod.

“Dad got a job as an attorney shortly after, so things have been looking up for my family, moved out of the shitty little shack I grew up in. We had five kids in our family, but we were lucky to even have a two bedroom house” He added on. Jack glanced over at him, speaking up after a few moments of silence, “My mom came from a rich family, but she pretty much gave all that up to runaway with my dad to Indiana at 18. Her family were Dutch and Belgian Jewish immigrants, they moved to Kentucky from Europe in World War 2, invested in horses and horse racing, got rich” Jack said, “My great grandma really wanted the family to hold onto their heritage, so about every generation knows French and Dutch”

“Wait, you can speak _three_ languages?”

“ _Een klein beetje_ ” He responded, " _Une quantité modérée”_  

" _Impresionante_ " Gabriel replied

Jack laughed, “But seriously, why are you taking Spanish when you have two languages you could knock out of the park?” Gabriel asked. The blonde flushed at the praise, “Well, I’m not _that_ good, I’ve been told I’m okay but some of my French sounds a bit awkward, and my dad wouldn’t let my mom teach me much more than I know” Jack said as he denied the compliment of the man, “My dad pretty much changed my mom’s entire life, she converted to Christianity right before they got married so I guess technically I grew up Christian.”

“But besides that, I figured Spanish would be more useful since I want to become a detective. There are far more people out there that only know Spanish or very little English than there are French or Dutch speakers” Jack added, “I wouldn’t wanna leave someone in danger just because I didn’t take the time to learn at least a tiny amount of Spanish.”

“You could always call me, duh” Gabriel teased, taking one hand away from the wheel to poke his side. Jack couldn’t help but laugh from feeling tickled, but it made him feel warm knowing that Gabriel thought they’d still be friends in however many years it is til Jack would get a job as a detective.

Perhaps he _would_ tell his mom about Gabriel.

 

~

 

Jack was immediately greeted by any of the other guys in the vicinity once they arrived to the frat house. “Oh shit, hey Morri!” The man said excitedly, “Yo! Guys! Morri’s here!” He added with a shout, with the pummeling sound of other men running down the stairs following. “Shit, Gabe didn’t tell me you were coming over, little man” Another added, rustling the blonde’s hair. Jack nervously waved at them, “Just workin’ on a project, that’s all.” The other men nodded, “We won’t get in your way” another added.

Gabriel quickly ushered him up the stairs, and into the hallway of endless rooms. Once they reached what Jack assumed was his, Gabriel hesitantly opened the door. He looked as if he was bracing for something. But once the door was wide opened, Jack was more enamored than anything. Tons of posters and what looked like sketches hung from the burgundy walls, along with the expected sports trinkets and medals as well. “Sorry it’s a bit, cluttered” He muttered, allowing Jack to enter first. He glanced around, “You like Cowboy Bebop?” Jack asked, Gabriel shoving his hands in his pockets as he nodded. 

“Don’t be so embarrassed, this shit’s pretty cool” Jack immediately complimented as he noticed the man’s discomfort. He gravitated towards a small section of the room dedicated to traditional sketches, there were a few characters he didn’t recognize. One was a cloaked character with a bone mask that seemed to be in the shape of an owl, they seemed to be male coded but he couldn’t be certain. The character was rather muscular from what he could tell from the pants and arms, and broad as well. The other character was cloaked as well, but smaller in form. They had more of an electronic mask, in the shape of a sugar skull. Both characters were colored in mostly black, but had a few accents as well. One with red and the other with purple.

Apparently Gabriel hadn’t noticed Jack admiring his artwork, as he immediately rushed over when he caught a glimpse of the blonde. “That’s nothing! Uh, just some art I got from someone on campus...yeah” He lied, Jack smirking at him. “You’re a terrible liar, dude” He replied, Gabriel huffing in defeat. “But really, these are super good, are you into comic art?” Jack asked with a warm smile. Gabriel was flushed with embarrassment, rocking back and forth on the balls of his feet.

“I suppose you can say that”

“Can I ask what your comic’s about?”

Gabriel flopped down on his bean bag chair, “It’s kind of a rough draft but I was thinking about having it follow a group of anti-heroes involved in a crime organization, the main character is Sombra” He explained “They’re actually based off of an internet friend I used to play World of Warcraft with when it first came out, I’m not totally sure of anything about them other than the fact they were Mexican, liked the color purple, and a damn good hacker. We were good friends for a while but one day they just disappeared”

Jack listened as carefully as he could, moving to sit on the edge of Gabriel’s bed. “I get the feeling they were a girl” He added, “But I still like to keep the character as gender neutral as possible, while also keeping their mannerisms. Some people could read it as male, some as female, but I want to let readers be able to think freely” Gabriel explained further. The blonde smiled at him, “I think that’s good creative thinking, give the reader the power to create their own theories.”

Gabriel pulled out another folder from his desk, “I had a summary for both characters as well as ideas for another” He said as he handed him the folder. Jack eagerly opened it and gazed through, secretly admiring Gabriel’s neat handwriting. Sombra was an elite hacker who was getting paid by an organization named Talon, which is the organization the story follows. Through the story you realize that Sombra is doing things for their own gain, rather than the gain of the organization. Reaper was once a hero who was betrayed by a former colleague and best friend and was doomed to a life of terrorism. There was also a rough draft for a character named “The Widowmaker”, a cold blooded assassin who was brainwashed by Talon into murdering her own husband.

“Have you made a character for the best friend?” Jack asked, Gabriel shaking his head. “I’ve had ideas but I can’t seem to get his essence correct, but I’d imagine him to be a “hero” type” He admitted, Jack nodding in agreement. “Perhaps he’s a hero turned anti-hero because of whatever happened?” He suggested, before quickly dismissing his thought.

“I mean, it’s your story so do whatever you want but it’s just an idea!” Jack quickly explained, Gabriel sitting down next to him to clap him on the back. “Give yourself more credit, maybe you can help if you’re up for that?” He asked, Jack quickly nodding. 

They both came up with an idea of a former soldier and commander of the “rival organization” (that has since fallen) around the same age of the deuteragonist. He’s blind due to the explosion that Gabriel and Jack came up with and uses a visor to help him see while also assist on the battlefield. Gabriel had actually sketched out his character design as well and Jack had immediately fallen in love with it. He also pointed out that if Reaper is supposedly a bad guy, then the character that they had named Soldier: 76 should see it as Reaper betraying him.

They didn’t get much work done if Jack had to be totally honest, but it was nice for Jack to learn something new about Gabriel for a change. They spent most of the night designing characters and playing video games, but they did finish that project eventually further on in the week.

They got a 98.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So we've learned that Jack's mother's side of the family is Jewish and his family was already divided long before he was even in the picture. He also speaks two separate languages but doesn't use them very often. Gabriel's a nerd writing a comic about his internet best friend and his family has recently gotten out of poverty. I mention these here because I won't spoil anything but these definitely aren't throwaway facts and will be brought up throughout the story~ I love you guys so much, please let me know of any mistakes!
> 
>  
> 
> I've had a few Spanish speakers help me with translations on a few of my old fics but never any French/Dutch, please let me know how I can improve my translations!!


	9. Chapter 9

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> good morning readers! just a little psa, I don't T H I N K there will be a chapter out this Friday, I have big plans for chapter 10 and a lot of my time is taken up by preparing for my step sister's wedding! But hopefully by Tuesday, I'll have chapter 10 ready (and maybe just maybe, chapter 11 as well) I hope you guys enjoy!
> 
> there's some foreign languages in this chapter so hover for translations and let me know if anything is wrong!

Apparently Gérard had needed a ride from the airport that morning at 8 AM.

He wished he’d known this before 4 AM.

 

Gérard  
  
i mean id be down dude  
  
but do you actually need a ride or do you just want one?  
  
I suppose I could afford a driver  
  
But I’d rather talk to you than some guy who’s only being nice because he’s being paid to be.  
  
damn fair enough i guess  
  
are you on the plane now?  
  
Yep, about three hours left  
  
how's first class treating you?  
  
or are you business?  
  
Lol, business  
  
Honestly, it's not even worth the money these days  
  
i’ll be happy to take your place next time and you can sit next to the screaming kid in economy  
  
Sounds like a plan (Winking Face )  
  
And to be fair there are screaming kids in first or business class too  
  
oh right sorry  
  
they just cry in chanel and wipe their tears with benjamins  
  
Lmao you're pretty spot on  
  
I should probably get to sleep, big meeting tomorrow  
  
at least you're not driving lol  
  
True, I'll see you tomorrow  
  
(Sleeping Face) 

Jack clicked off his phone, immediately grabbing for a bottle of melatonin in his end table drawer. He wished he hadn’t drunken a redbull before his shift earlier that night. But before he could pop the bottle open, his mind had told him he was probably better off just staying awake for the night and sleeping once he gets back to the house. Driving exhausted was something Jack never condoned, but he figured he’d be doing it either way.

And so he opened his phone again, immediately clicking on the brightly colored Instagram app. It appeared he had about 452 new likes and 38 new comments. Most of them were for the photo he’d uploaded of himself and Brigitte’s cat, Freyja, a few days before. He scrolled through the comments.

“cute ❤️ lol”

“awwwww omg!!!”

“soooo cute, the cats alright too lmao ❤️”

“why are all the good ones gayyyy”

“both of you are adorable”

He replied with different variations of “thanks” to each comment, but in reality, they were nothing more than words on a screen. They held no meaning, merely compliments from strangers who had come upon a stupid picture. None of them wanted a connection with himself, they only wanted a connection with the person he shows off on social media. As he scrolled through the comments, he thought about the false happiness they created for themselves to hide the fear of imminent death and the fact that none of “this” mattered.

The blonde sat up, attempting to fully wake himself from his drowsy state before he fell deeper into the rabbit hole of nihilistic thoughts. He pulled out his phone again.

 

**Today** 4:36 AM  
hey gérard sorry if i’m waking you up  
  
but im starting to get really edgy thoughts about life and death  
  
i just had a really weird moment of thought about the fact we all create a perpetual facade of joy to hide fear of dying  
  
what is wrong with me  
  
Oh dear  
  
Do you think Gabriel's starting to rub off on you?  
  
if that was the case it would've happened a long time ago  
  
it's so weird though  
  
i was expecting to see the same brooding guy i've known for like  
  
what? 10 years  
  
but he's way different, he like  
  
laughs and shit now  
  
Amazing.  
  
dont be sarcastic asshole  
  
Lol, okay fine, go on  
  
i used to have to drag him out of bed at 4 pm when he went to bed at midnight  
  
and he'd like, not shower for days on end because he never had the energy to  
  
Gross  
  
eh, i was used to it  
  
i've never been an incredibly tidy person but i pretty much had to clean up 24/7 because he'd have a panic attack at even the thought of cleaning everything up  
  
but now he's like an entirely different person  
  
his house is pristine, he regularly gets up at 8 am to work  
  
he appears to not have any issues with showering  
  
he seems to be doing way better  
  
so like  
  
what the fuck  
  
did i make him like that?  
  
I thought we were talking about your nihilistic thoughts?  
  
we were but you brought up gabriel so here we are  
  
I suppose I did  
  
Do you want the truth?

He bit his lip, tapping his thumbs together as he thought if he really wanted the truth or not. But he supposed he had nothing to lose. Hopefully Gerard wouldn’t completely crush him and go easy on him.

 

yes  
  
I don't necessarily think you were the "cause" of his depression  
  
That's an entirely separate issue that probably has nothing to do with you  
  
But you two were detrimental to each other  
  
The start of your relationship was Gabriel wanting something casual and you agreeing to it because you wanted some form of romantic companionship from him, even if he didn’t see it that way as well  
  
You set yourself up to get hurt  
  
normally i'd be offended by your accusations but you're probably right lmao  
  
It's not like that was solely your fault though  
  
Gabriel and I didn't talk about it much, it was kind of a weird topic to us if I'm being honest  
  
But I always felt like he knew how you felt from the very beginning and just ignored it  
  
i always wonder if we only dated because he didn't want to reject me and not get laid anymore lol

Gérard went quiet. A text bubble would show up from time to time, but it would eventually disappear. He almost wished he would reassure him otherwise, but he dozed off waiting for a reply. It wasn’t until about twenty minutes later did his phone vibrate again.

 

**Today** 5:02 AM  
That's...  
  
Quite a heavy accusation, Jack  
  
not like it even matters now  
  
I think you're reading far too into it, in my opinion  
  
I don't know enough about your relationship to say if that's true or not, though  
  
I have to get some rest, for real this time  
  
night  
  
Goodnight

Jack almost wished he hadn’t said anything, or at least not anything after Gérard asked to be honest. He was actually sort of curious about what other thoughts the man had, seeing as though he said he and Gabe were “detrimental” to each other. It’s not like he was wrong though. Jack could never handle Gabriel’s emotional intensity, and Gabriel couldn’t even handle himself near the end, let alone a relationship.

Jack remembered the times where he would leave for days because he couldn’t handle it. He’d couch surf, spending most of his time drinking at bars and catching the eye of other men. It was horrible to think about now, but it’s not like Gabriel hadn’t done the same as well. Neither of them had really “cheated” however. One of them would always come home and burst into tears, falling into the other’s arms as they made empty promises to make things better.

Of course, they never did.

 

And remember Jack, don't dwell on the past. Think of the future! (Smiling Face With Smiling Eyes )

If only it were that easy.

~

Jack had taken about a two hour nap after his conversation with Gérard, groggy eyes opening to the rising sun peaking through his blinds. He grabbed his phone as his blue eyes squinted at the bright light emitting from the screen.

 

Gérard  
  
**Today** 6:54 AM  
Plane just landed, gotta go through customs though so I'll probably be out in an hour

He let out a yawn as he sat up, glancing up at the time on his phone.

_7:36 AM_

Jack begrudgingly got out of bed, figuring Gérard wouldn’t mind if he showed up in his pajamas. He grabbed his toothbrush and toothpaste from a cup on the end table. Gabriel said he could just keep that stuff in the medicine cabinet in the bathroom, but he still felt that was far too weird. He pulled out a pair of slippers from under his bed with his feet. He wasn’t normally the type to wear slippers in public, but his feet were cold and he was too tired to lace up a pair of sneakers.

Exiting his room, he nearly slipped and fell on his ass on the stairs. He didn’t even flinch however, continuing his way down the stairs and into the hallway below. He could hear the giggling from the bathroom. The water faucet running, as the mumbled chatter continued. Normally he would retreat back upstairs until they were out, but Jack didn’t care anymore.

He just wanted to brush his teeth.

He approached the bathroom, the door wide open as he stood outside the doorway. Callum looked over his shoulder at the blonde, smiling back at him. “Good morning, Jack!” The redhead exclaimed. Gabriel didn’t even turn to look at him, he merely continued to brush his teeth.

Good

Jack didn’t wanna see him anyways.

Callum immediately noticed the toothbrush and toothpaste in his hand, dragging Gabriel out from the bathroom. “You can use the kitchen sink, Gabe” Callum said, squeezing by Jack with the other man.

_Gabe_

 Jack wasn’t going to get territorial over a stupidly common nickname, he was better than that and it didn’t even really matter now. He merely decided to stop thinking about it and continue on with his day, hoping he didn’t bump into the two of them on his way out. He’d brushed his teeth way longer than needed, almost falling asleep until the overwhelming minty froth in his mouth jolted him back up. He spit it out into the sink, leaning over the faucet to rinse his mouth. He left his toothbrush and toothpaste on the counter, just this once. He’d put it back later.

 As he exited the bathroom, he hoped to find an empty living room and kitchen.

 His hopes were crushed.

 They were even more crushed when Callum was out of sight, leaving an awkward aura in between the two men as their eyes met. Jack was silent, choosing to fumble around as he tried to find his keys instead. Clearly the awkwardness didn’t bother Gabriel, the man speaking up much to Jack’s dismay.

 “It’s way too early for you to be in a rush” Gabriel said humorously, crossing his arms as he leaned up against the counter. Jack glanced back at him, “I have somewhere to be” He muttered.

 “You have off today”

 “Kinda weird that you know that”

 Jack liked to think he embarrassed Gabriel with that one. But he figured he might as well tell the man the truth as he dug his keys out from in between the couch cushions. “Gérard’s moving back and he flies in today, I’m picking him up” He explained, nonchalantly. Gabriel surprisingly perked up, “Oh shit, really? I was wondering what he was doing nowadays, what’s he doing back in Seattle?” He asked casually, Jack almost annoyed at how chipper the other man was.

 “Expanding his business, wants to oversee all operations so I guess he’s back for good” Jack responded, “His flight landed like half an hour ago, so I should probably go.”

 “Have fun”

 “I’ll try my darndest” He replied sarcastically.

~

Traffic had held him up for a little bit, growing guiltier for making Gérard have to wait. With Jack’s luck, he’d probably already decided to call in a limousine anyways. But as he approached the arrival area out front, the man stuck out the sore thumb. His sparkling white shit eating grin, that stupid pencil stache Jack always hated, and the business suit without a single wrinkle in sight.

Jack pulled over next to the sidewalk, putting the car in park before stepping out to greet the man. He had two luggage bags, dragging them along as he walked over towards the blonde. _“Ça fait longtemps, mon ami”_ He shouted out, giving Jack a brief hug as they met. _“Hé, connard”_

Jack responded with a smirk. Jack immediately picked up one of the man’s bags without being asked, loading them into the back of his car.

“So chivalrous, you really have changed Jack” Gérard teased, loading the second one into the car. “Where am I taking you?” Jack asked, Gérard tapping his chin in thought. “Well I’m ahead of schedule since the meeting isn’t until 2 and the penthouse isn’t ready yet…” He contemplated, Jack raising an eyebrow. “What do you mean by “not ready yet”?”

“It’s getting deep cleaned this morning”

Jack laughed, “Must be nice.”

“Why don’t you start with showing me your setup at Gabriel’s place and you can gossip to me about him over coffee?”

“Fancy coffee?”

“Sure”

He wasn’t totally sold on going back to Gabriel’s however, mostly because of the shop. But as far as he knew, today was Amélie’s day off so they could perhaps squeeze by without too much drama. He wasn’t even thinking about how much of a mess his room was at that moment, and the fact Gabriel hadn’t even begun phasing out all of the storage boxes that were in there.

But he was too tired to be concerned about that now.

Hopefully the day would just play out as well as it could.

~

Traffic had begun to simmer down as they rode back to the townhome. They talked like old times, Gérard taking in the sights that were once too familiar to him. He brought up every change he saw, Jack explaining the stories of how those changes came about. They were both extraordinarily different from the last time they saw each other in person, but they talked and joked as if Gérard had never left in the first place.

“So which one is yours?” Gérard asked as he glanced out the window at the row of shops and apartment buildings. Jack pointed to the small unit that was crammed in between two larger buildings. “Blackwatch Guitars & Records, huh?” He commented, “Is that Gabriel’s shop?” Jack nodded, “It does pretty well, it might as well be a tourist attraction by now.” Gérard hummed in thought as Jack found a spot to park next to the shop. “It seems to be rather quiet, so hopefully we can just sneak in and sneak out” Jack said, Gérard following along as the two men got out of the car. Jack had a feeling of impending doom, choosing to brush it off until a pair of piercing golden eyes set upon the two men.

Amélie

_Shit. Shit. Shit. Fuck. Fuck._

She said nothing, merely scowling at the two men. But her eyes showed a hint of shock, like she was a deer in the headlights. “Amélie, I’m sorry- I thought it was your day off” Jack tried to quickly explain, “Rescheduled, I’m taking tomorrow off instead” She spat back at the man, a sharp tone decorating her voice. If Jack felt awkward, he couldn’t _imagine_ how Gérard felt. He quickly ushered the man upstairs, hoping to get away from the tense feeling in the shop.

“Sorry man, I swore Gabriel said her day off was today”

Surprisingly, Gérard just let out a chuckle. “No need to apologize, Jack, I’m just happy I got to see her, even if she looked like she wanted to murder us both” He said with a soft smile. Jack felt a wave of relief wash over him, initially being afraid Gérard would storm out and claim Jack had set him up. But perhaps that was his anxiety thinking for him.

The door to the apartment swung up, Gabriel appearing through the doorway. “Heard there was an “incident” downstairs, so I figured you were here” Gabriel said as he glanced at Gérard, giving him a smirk. “I like to make myself known when I walk in a room” Gérard joked, Gabriel laughing in response. They engaged in a brief hug, “It’s been a long ass time, dude, how are you?” Gabriel asked with a grin. “Pretty good, business is good and I finally get to see you two again” Gérard said happily.

“He just wanted to see the place real quick and then get some fancy coffee with me before going to his meeting” Jack chimed in. Gabriel nodding in agreement, “No problem, he’s totally welcome.” Jack was growing annoyed at Gabriel not getting his hints that screamed _“Go away.”_ Despite this, Gabriel led the two up towards the apartment. “Callum’s still here if you wanna meet him, he’s my boyfriend” Gabriel casually mentioned as they walked up the stairs. “I’d love to” Gérard responded, Jack pursing his lips in silence. As they arrived upstairs, Gabriel proudly showed off the living room and kitchen.

And of course, the ginger man was just around the corner.

“Oh, hi!” He exclaimed happily, practically skipping to the group. “You must be Gérard! I’ve been waiting to meet you, Gabriel speaks so highly of you!” Callum said with a long grin plastered on his face, holding out a hand for the other man to shake. Gérard gave him a smile in return, shaking his hand, “Pleasure to meet you, Callum” He greeted kindly. The two chatted pleasantly for a few minutes, leaving Jack to feel awkward on the sidelines before speaking up.

_“On peut aller en haut, s'il te plaît?”_ Jack whispered to the other man, Gérard gave him a concerned look before giving him a nod. “Jack promised to enlighten me on salt lamps, so we’ll be upstairs as I study his” Gérard said proudly, Jack cringing in response before pointing towards the second staircase. As they trudged up the stairs, and up another, they reached Jack’s room as the man let out a breath as if he’d been holding it in for the past 10 minutes. 

“You don’t like him?” Gérard asked, raising an eyebrow. Jack shrugged, “He’s fine, as far as ex boyfriend’s new boyfriends go. I can handle them both separately I guess but god, when they’re together they both drive me up the fucking wall” Jack complained, “It’s like they somehow both become 3000 times worse when they combine forces.”

“Are you jealous?”

Jack rolled his eyes, “No, I really couldn’t give a shit about them being together, like I said they’re both _fine_ separately but they just really grind my gears when they’re all up in each other’s faces and being super affectionate. Did you know Gabriel calls him “pumpkin” and Callum calls him “muffin”, it’s gross” He continued on as he complained.

Gérard laughed a little before interrupting himself, “Sorry, I’m not laughing at your problems…I just haven’t heard you call him that in years” The man explained. Jack tilted his head, “What do you mean?”

“Gabriel, you almost never called him anything except for Gabe for the past decade” He answered, “You complain about how he and Callum act, but you fail to remember that you and Gabriel were the same exact way only a few years ago. I remember you both would call each other by the “bilingual” nicknames you had for each other, he’d call you _Conejito_ and you’d call him  _mon ange_ and make everyone else in the room incredibly uncomfortable” Gérard reminisced, Jack mumbling something under his breath in response.

“I would call him _snoepje_ and he’d get really annoyed by it because it sounded weird”

“What does that mean?”

“Little candy, but I recently found out it's also Dutch slang for ecstasy so that’s nice”

Gérard let out a laugh, “Maybe that was the writing on the wall, or in the candy” He joked.

“Maybe it was”

~

After Jack showing off his storage space of a room, he was quick to retreat from the house. They had rushed through the store doors so quickly, Amélie didn’t even have time to give them a disapproving glare. Gérard had promised him some fancy coffee, and he was going to get that goddamn fancy coffee. They ended up going to a small café in the lobby of Gérard’s apartment complex. It was about as modern as a coffee place could get, the tables and counters were a sleek white with wooden accents adorning the walls. He didn’t know plants could be modern, but they were here.

They sat down at a small, circular table after they ordered their respective drinks. Jack wasn’t sure what he was expecting as far as quality of coffee goes, but after the first sip, he had felt he’d been transported to heaven.

“Holy shit, I don’t even have to pretend to like this” Jack exclaimed, taking another sip from the small cup. Gérard laughed, “I was wondering why you got black coffee.”

“My tastes have changed”

“Bullshit”

“Alright, fine, I don’t actually like black coffee” Jack admitted, “But I really want to! I’m gonna be 30 in less than two years, I need to stop with all the cream and sugar, I need to seem more manly” He added in defense. Gérard rolled his eyes, “You care way too much about appearances, and I say this as a businessman man where half of my _job_ is appearances.”

“Besides” Gérard added, “You’re 6’1, built like a quarterback, and a fitness junkie, no one’s going to accuse you of not being _“manly enough”_ just because you prefer cream and sugar in your coffee”

“I’ve kinda been falling behind on my jogging schedule if I have to be honest” Jack responded

“I think I’m getting kind of out of shape too, having all the fancy food you want really takes a toll on the body”

Jack smirked at him from across the small table, “Oh boohoo, it must be so hard being able to afford all the food you could ever need and more. Gaining three pounds must be terrible too.”

Gérard stuck his tongue out at Jack, “Why don’t you be my jogging partner then?”

“And get upstaged by you wearing a Gucci tracksuit? No thanks”

“I’ll buy you one if it concerns you so much”

Jack let out a laugh, “No fucking way dude, do you know how awful I would look in one of those?” He asked. Gérard shook his head, “Everyone looks bad in tracksuits, Jack, it’s just the novelty of them that makes them so great.” Jack rolled his eyes with a nod, “I guess that’s right”

“But for real, why don’t we go jogging together? You looked really miserable in that house for the few minutes we were there, you need to get out more” Gérard pointed out. “I’ll say yes if you admit you only wanna be my jogging partner so you can come over and see Amélie for like three seconds” Jack responded.

“If that’s what it takes, then sure”

They both laughed, sipping their coffees as they reminisced over the past. But of course, the question came up.

“So what’s the deal with Callum and Gabriel?” Gérard asked innocently, Jack groaning in response. “Did you take me out to coffee just to ask me this?” Jack asked, Gérard shrugging. “You agreed to coffee and gossip,” He said.

“Fine, I guess you’re right. They just started “officially” dating a few weeks ago, but I guess they’ve been seeing each other since sometime before I moved in. It’s painfully obvious that he’s only nice to me to please himself and partially Gabriel, Callum like wants the three of us to be besties forever or something and that just, won’t happen” He complained, “I don’t know what Gabriel told him about our break up but we’re clearly never going to be “besties” ever again.”

“Gabriel seemed to be neutral to positive about you, so that’s something”

“He’s only nice to me to keep Callum happy”

“He was positive enough about you to let you live with him”

Jack wasn’t sure what to say in return. Because Gérard was right, despite all of the sarcastic remarks they make towards each other. Gabriel _was_ neutral to positive towards him. Even if Gabriel hated his guts, he still wouldn’t have left Jack to suffer in the streets. Or his car to be more specific.

Gabriel had his good moments, and his bad moments, some _very_ bad moments, but he was still a decent person. Gabriel knew what it was like to suffer, to be in poverty, to have to make questionable actions in order to survive. Deep inside, Jack knew that even if things between them were at their worst, Gabriel wouldn’t even consider turning him away for a second.

And Jack almost wished he would, just to satisfy his grudge.

“I should probably rest up for tonight’s shift,” He said as he cleared his throat, Gérard nodded. “I understand, thanks for the ride.”

“Anytime"

As they said their goodbyes, Jack realized that with Gérard back in town, things would either get much better for him or much worse.

And at this point, he couldn’t tell which.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> and so we officially have another player in the mix hmmmmmm
> 
> my biggest regret to be perfectly honest is not including my boi gérard in my previous fics cause i love him so much
> 
> pls let me know of any mistakes, thank you for all of your support!!
> 
> edit 12/15/18: small edit to the french and some errors i missed, thanks to Lauramayelle for the correction w the french!


	10. Chapter 10

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hi guys im so sorry for being m.i.a. without word but we're in quite the pinch here in coastal nc. we currently have a cat 4 hurricane barreling towards us and my writing has come to a halt while trying to prepare. so i've made the decision to end this chapter at an appropriate point instead of slowly making it the mega chapter it was meant to be but with leaving you guys in the dark.
> 
> i hope u guys enjoy and to my fellow coastal friends, be safe

Today was the first day he and Gérard could schedule jogging together. He’d been far busier than either of them had anticipated, and when Jack could do mornings, Gérard couldn’t. When Gérard could do evenings, Jack couldn’t. It had been a cycle of never ending _“Sorry, I can’t”_ , until that morning. Finally, Jack didn’t have a morning shift, and Gérard finally didn’t have a morning meeting.

Gérard  
  
do you want me to come over there  
  
Nah, I’ll go there   
  
do you wanna know if amélie is working?   
  
...  
  
Yeah  
  
she should be, i think she just got here   
  
Alright, cool  
  
I’ll dress my best  
  
no tracksuit please  
  
Fine  
  
Be there in 10  
  
okay  


He’d already chosen his get up, a tank top and a pair of gym shorts along with the only pair of running shoes he had. Jack was glad he’d decided to not shower just yet, he wasn’t about to dry his hair out with two uses of shampoo in one day. As he was getting dressed, his phone buzzed again. Jack assumed it was Gérard following up with another text message, but the name on the screen proved otherwise.

Ire(Four Leaf Clover )  
  
Hey  
  
hi  
  
I’m just gonna come out and say it  
  
You’ve been acting kinda distant lately, Jackie  
  
Is everything okay?

Jack wasn’t sure what to say. He didn’t want his friend to feel bad, or assume it was her fault. Ireland was actually the person who felt the “realest” out of that friend group. She knew she could never understand his problems, and it showed a lot that she was the only to contact him to check up on him.

i guess  
  
as good as living in your ex boyfriend’s house can be  
  
I heard about that through some people  
  
Why didn’t you tell us you were having issues finding a place?  
  
ireland i dont mean this to be offensive cause you know i love u but  
  
you guys love to pretend you know what i’m going through while in reality you’ll never have a clue  
  
have you ever had to move in with your ex-boyfriend and his new chipper boyfriend because your apartment burned down to the ground and you can’t afford anything else  
  
the families of the people who died are pressing me to sue but i don’t have the heart to tell them i can’t afford the lawyer fees  
  
i tried to talk to you guys about my feelings for weeks but you guys just kept derailing the conversation because it made you uncomfortable  
  
I’m sorry Jack  
  
I can’t speak for anyone else but I want to try harder  
  
I know I could never understand the situation you’re in, but I just want you to feel as if you can talk to me freely and openly without judgement  
  
well I cant talk now, im about to go jogging with gérard but  
  
we can hang out and talk about our feelings at some point soon lol  
  
I'd love to!  
  
Wait, your friend Gérard from college? I thought he moved to France?  
  
he just moved back about a week ago  
  
I never met him but I know you spoke very highly of him  
  
Maybe hanging out with him would be good for you as well (Smiling Face With Smiling Eyes )  
  
yeah maybe  
  
i gotta run but ill talk to you later  
  
Bye Jack  
  
bye

He threw his phone on his bed, a feeling of guilt building up in his stomach. Ireland herself hadn’t done anything wrong, if anything she was the one that tried to help Jack the most. It was almost heartbreaking to him for her to apologize for something that she was so desperately trying to do correctly. It wasn’t her fault she didn’t understand his situation, that was a good thing actually. Hopefully he could work things out with them after talking with Ireland. He had to admit that he did miss the gossip that came with being in a group of mostly straight girls.

But for now, he’d have to adjust back to the life of being friends with un-catty gay guys and “dude bro” straight guys. Not that it was a bad thing, as much as he liked to gossip about that one bitch from work with the girls, he missed being absolutely disgusting with the guys. He hadn’t screamed at the TV over a football game while chugging shitty beer in a long time.

He wasn’t sure if Gérard, Jesse, or even Callum and Gabriel would be into that however.

Gabriel had always preferred basketball despite playing football in college, Callum didn’t seem to be into sports, and he had no idea what Jesse’s interests were other than Clint Eastwood movies.

Gérard actually did like football, just not American football.

He remember Gérard calling him while hysterically crying when France won the World Cup.

Gérard  
  
**Today** 8:36 AM  
Hey, I just got here  
  
I’m down in the shop  
  
ok i’ll be down in a second  


He shoved his phone in his pocket as he stood up, silently hoping his friendship with Gérard would be an escape of the hell that is Gabriel’s brick building.

He could only hope.

~

When Jack arrived down at the shop, Gérard was already busy chatting up Gabriel who had actually taken the time to not be shoved in his tiny office filling online orders. The two men looked over, a sweaty Gérard giving Jack a grin. “Good morning, Jack” He said happily, “I was just about to ask Gabriel something that included you, so you’re just on time!” Jack let out a small sigh, “Oh boy.” The two men kept their smiling faces however, Gérard clearing his throat before he spoke. “So there’s a restaurant in town that I’ve been wanting to go to, and I figure, why not invite my two right hand men?” He suggested, “For old time’s sake, how does tonight sound? I’ll be footing the bill, of course.”

Gérard looked to face Gabriel, “And of course, Callum is invited too.” And if Jack was looking for any excuse not to go before, he was _really_ digging for one now. “I’d be down, but Callum’s having dinner with some family that’s visiting tonight, so I guess it’ll just be us, assuming Jack’s going” Gabriel responded, glancing over to Jack for an answer. Jack meant to hesitate, but the words fell out of his mouth, “I- yeah, sure- that’d be cool.”

“Alright, the dress code is formal, so wear a nice suit” Gérard suggested, Gabriel nodding as Jack looked unsure. “I don’t think I have a suit at the moment” Jack admitted, Gérard merely nodding. “That’s fine, I might have a suit that could fit you back at the penthouse, if not I could always throw a couple bucks to get something tailored”

“Must be nice not thinking of costs” Gabriel said humorously, Gérard shrugged with a grin.

“What can I say? Hard work pays off”

Jack had already wanted to leave before, and the feeling of a pair of eyes piercing through him had even furthered that feeling. He glanced over his shoulder, his eyes meeting Amélie’s, who quickly looked away shortly after. The woman walked over to where Hanzo stood, collecting a pile of records that Gabriel had requested from him. He could hear her as she began to speak to him,

“Do you need any help with those, Hanzo?”

Apparently she’d caught the attention of Gérard who looked over before Jack interrupted the man’s thought. “We should probably head out before the streets get overcrowded” He suggested, Gérard quickly nodding. “I’ll pick you guys up at 6” He told Gabriel, who simply nodded and waved him off.

As soon as they shut the door to the shop, Gérard spoke up.

“Who was that guy Amélie was talking to?”

Jack burst out laughing. “Don’t worry about it man, really” He reassured, Gérard furrowing his brow in response. “Who was he though?” He pressed on, Jack rolling his eyes. The two began jogging down the sidewalk, dodging and maneuvering through the crowds of people. “You’re letting her wrap you around her finger when you get all worked up about it” Jack warned, Gérard groaning. “I just wanna know who he is, what’s the harm in that?” Jack sighed, “You’re so persistent”

Gérard stayed quiet, waiting for an answer from Jack who eventually caved. “Fine, his name is Hanzo Shimada. I don’t know if he’s gay or bi or whatever else, but I think he has a crush on the guy who works at the register which has kind of become a problem for me” He explained, Gérard nodding along but pressing Jack for more now. “The kid who looks like he’s watched way too many old timey cowboy movies? How’s that a problem for you? Do you like him?” He questioned, Jack groaning at his curiosity.

“He likes me is the problem, I think he does anyways, so Hanzo probably wants to kill me”

“So what’s your plan?”

Jack rubbed his temples, stressed from all of the inquisition. “I don’t know dude, he’s nice enough I guess but he feels way too young for me” He answered. Gérard raised an eyebrow, staying silent as he waited for Jack to elaborate.

“I mean I guess he’s not _that_ young, he’s probably like 23 or 24 but that still feels like a huge difference as far as future goals go. Like, seeing as though I’m living with my ex and his likely future husband, I need a stable relationship with someone who can get me out of that hell” He rambled on, Gérard giving the man a smirk along with a laugh.

“Likely future husband? You think?”

Jack shrugged, “Why not? Callum’s nice enough, they seem like they’re good together.” Gérard still wasn’t convinced, “Of course Callum’s “nice enough” but he’s kind of...oh, what’s the word…” He responded as he contemplated, the two men still jogging along. Jack wiping the sweat from his forehead, Gèrard tapping his chin in thought.

“He’s...uncomplicated, and rather submissive from what I can see. Not saying Gabriel wants to be completely dominated but he likes somewhat of a challenge, someone who’ll fight back when arguing instead of immediately falling to his command, someone equal to him on the dominance spectrum” He explained, Jack shrugging. “He liked that 10 years ago” He pointed out, “People change, he probably prefers simplicity now compared to the firestorm that we were.” Gérard shrugged, “Maybe, maybe I’m completely wrong and they’ll be happily married with ten kids but I’m just going by what I know about him.”

“Let’s talk about something else” Jack suggested

“Agreed”

~

They stopped by Ana’s house during their jog, chatting with the woman Jack hadn’t seen since the morning of the day his apartment burned down. They chatted aimlessly about their lives, Ana expressing excitement to have Gérard back in Seattle. Jack had met her when he, Gérard, Gabriel, and a group of friends had all gone together to Squaw Valley in Lake Tahoe after Christmas of 2008. Ana had been a ski instructor at the time, they’d technically met when Jack was getting his first lessons in skiing on the hill.

However, they’d both _really_ gotten to know each other when Gabriel had broken his leg on the slopes and she had been the first person that was in Jack’s line of sight. Through chatting, Jack had discovered she actually had a medical degree and was to be moving to Seattle to pursue a career at Virginia Mason with her daughter and new husband. She asked Jack if Gabriel was his boyfriend, he said no.

She didn’t believe him.

Their friendship was solidified when Jack and Gabriel offered to help move in boxes at her new home. But once they saw Reinhardt, it was incredibly clear that their help hadn’t been needed. She still offered for them to come inside, letting Gabriel play with her cat, Cleo, and feeding Jack all of the peanut butter and banana sandwiches he could eat. After that, the three of them, along with Gérard became rather close.

Ana would often make Jack and Gabriel “babysit” her daughter Fareeha despite her being 14 when they first met her. Jack was relieved to hear Fareeha actually thought they were both “pretty cool” despite teasing them about their obvious sexual tension. Gérard never had enough time to babysit Fareeha, but she enjoyed hearing of Gérard’s great-grandfather’s war stories as well as his personal stories about life in France. Fareeha had expressed her desire to travel the world and fight for peace.

They all agreed she’d be good at it.

After she graduated (an event that all four of them cried at), she enlisted in the military before coming back about four years prior to work for Helix Security. Upon her return, she’d met an intern that her mother was mentoring at Virginia Mason. Her name was Angela, and Fareeha would not admit to her crush on the woman. Jack and Gabriel teased her relentlessly when she came to the two for advice, especially on how to confess to her mother. As far as Jack knew now, the two had started dating about a year prior.

He’d never met Angela Ziegler, but he’d sure like to at some point.

None of them had a lot of time to hang out, but Jack was just happy to see her again. She always knew the right thing to say when Jack was left without words for himself. Perhaps he would come by more often, maybe.

~

He arrived back at his house at around 10:30 AM, a suit bag in his hand. He hung it up in his closet before flopping down on his bed to take a nap. He slept for around four hours before deciding he should probably get up and shower. His blonde hair was coated in dry sweat, Jack cringing at the feeling. He took an hour long shower just to be sure he was squeaky clean.

He put on his finest deodorant and cologne that didn’t make him smell as though he just ran through a Ralph Lauren store. It was a little shameful at how hard he was trying, but he’d never been to a five star restaurant before. He’d like to look as though he wasn’t _totally_ out of place. And of course, as Jack paced up and downstairs, Gabriel peaked his head through the doorway to stair at Jack, already dressed in his suit.

“You know we don’t have to leave until six, right?” Gabriel asked, amused at the anxious blonde. Jack gave him a glare in return, “Right. And it’s 4:30 now, and unlike you I don’t get dressed at the last second.” Gabriel rolled his eyes, “Fine, I was just about to take a shower but I’ll wait another thirty minutes so I can _really_ be ready at the last minute.” Jack stuck his tongue out at the man, just as he slammed his bedroom door shut. He wasn’t sure why they bickered like children, Jack was nearing thirty and if he was correct, Gabriel had already hit that mark.

It didn’t even really matter however, Jack had already been looking at apartments in Bloomington. He would just have to deal with Gabriel’s bitter comments for another few months, and then they’d be out of each other’s hair. But for now, he’d just have to see if Gabriel had any beer to calm his nerves. He approached the refrigerator, opening the door.

And of course, to no avail.

Jack scrunched his nose in frustration, trudging his way to the couch before flopping down with a groan. He could hear Gabriel’s bedroom door creak open, footsteps approaching him.

“Why are you pouting?”

“You don’t have any alcohol”

“Why would I? You more than anyone should know how I got around some of that shit”

Jack sat up with a shrug, “You never told me if you kicked the habit or not.” Gabriel shrugged back, “You never asked” was all he merely stated in return. Jack let out a huff on frustration, accepting defeat. “Just go and get ready so I can tell Gérard to come and get us early” Jack said, Gabriel smirking with a nod. “Whatever, your highness” Gabriel responded sarcastically. Jack rolled his eyes, crossing his arms as he slumped back into the couch, Gabriel trudging back upstairs to get ready.

It seemed as if their relationship wouldn’t be improving anytime soon, not if Jack couldn’t stop being so petty.

And he wouldn’t.


	11. Chapter 11

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> OH MY GOSH HELLO!!! I’m so sorry this took so long, I had to admit I became a little uninspired for a bit there. Also my house was not destroyed in Florence, we were incredibly lucky that it took a steer southwards but it’s still truly awful for those in Wilmington and New Bern as well as many other places. If I have any NC or SC friends reading that were affected by Florence, I just want you to know that my thoughts still remain with you and I hope you’re all safe! This also goes out to any panhandle friends, we got a bit of rain and flooding from Michael but it is no where near as severe as those who were hit by a Category 4 storm!! I hope all of you are safe and I’m sending out good vibes to all of my readers! I love you and thank you for being patient with me :) 
> 
> As for this chapter, this is a very long chapter! Coming out at 6.5k words, it includes the second half of last chapter and the current chapter! Consider it an apology gift for peacing out for a bit! Drug use in this one, weed in particular and mentions of weed will probably come up more later so be warned! Also do not look up jenkem I will provide you with an urban dictionary link at the end of this chapter.
> 
> lmao anyways, ENJOY!!! I LOVE YOU GUYSSS

Gérard arrived shortly after, filling Jack with a wave of relief as the man came into sight when they exited the building. He rolled down the window to the passenger side, giving the men a wave. “Bonjour, my friends!” Gérard greeted cheekily. Gabriel waved back, Jack following suit. As they approached the car, Jack was prepared to take the backseat, but Gabriel motioned for him to take shotgun. Jack nodded, quietly thanking him. “No problem” Gabriel responded.

As the two took their seats, Gérard grinned over at them. “And how are you two doing tonight?” He asked, Jack gave a thumbs up as Gabriel grinned back at Gérard. “Pretty good, ready for some bomb ass food” He said with a laugh, Gérard chuckling along with him as he took the car out of park. The Frenchman glanced over towards Jack, “And how have you been since the few hours I last saw you?” He joked. “Text the register boy?” He continued, Jack quickly shutting him up. Gabriel raised an eyebrow with a smirk, “Register boy? Someone from work?” Gabriel asked.

Jack bit his lip, “Uh, yeah” He lied. Gabriel merely nodded, laughing slightly before the car filled with silence along with lingering awkwardness. Jack was definitely going to beat the shit out of Gérard after this. Okay, maybe not, but he was surely going to get an earful. Gérard was the first one to end the silence, clearing his throat before speaking up, “I have changed plans slightly, extending our guys night out a little later than intended.”

“What do you mean by that?” Gabriel asked, Gérard merely chuckling in response. “You’ll see, I have a bit of a surprise back at the penthouse” He claimed, Jack letting out a sigh.

“Oh boy”

“You’ll have fun, I promise”

Jack wasn’t so sure he would, but it wouldn’t hurt to try at least.

Maybe he actually would.

Probably not.

~

Despite the fact Jack was dressed to his best, he still felt as though he _really_ did not belong at this restaurant. He wasn’t sure he’d ever even _had_ a five course meal before, and he definitely wasn’t sure what to expect from the wine pairing program. He was sure he’d figure it out, but his first go was Furmint, meant to be paired with the summer squash he’d ordered for his first course.

“Is there any red wine with a rather low alcohol content? Something that could be paired with red meat?” Gabriel asked the waiter, the rather proper man nodding in response. “Of course, I’ll return with that shortly” He said before quickly scurrying off. “So Jack, I never took you to be a wine person” Gérard questioned, Jack sighed in response.

“I’m not, but I wasn’t gonna be the one asshole drinking beer”

“If I remember clearly, you tried to tell me you were a wine person at 18 before getting red wine drunk and passing out in my room at the fraternity” Gabriel teased, “I haven’t had wine since then” Jack admitted despite being a little irked at the man’s jokes. “Well try not to get too drunk tonight, I don’t want you to be too out of it for the surprise” Gérard added, Jack nodding in response.

“I’ll try my hardest, better be a damn good surprise”

The Frenchman laughed, clapping Jack on the shoulder. “It’s not much but you seem like you’ve needed it for a while” Gérard explained vaguely. There’s been a _lot_ of things Jack has needed for a while, so he really had no clue as to what Gérard was hinting at. “Money?” Jack asked sarcastically.

“No, but dammit that would’ve been a good surprise” Gérard responded, sounding rather disappointed in himself. “Next time, maybe” Gérard joked, while also sounding rather serious. “Hey if you’re giving him money, I want some too” Gabriel joked along.

“Ah, but you’re not living in your ex-boyfriend’s apartment, now are you?” Gérard teased, Gabriel rolled his eyes sarcastically before letting out a laugh. “Aw c’mon, I have bills too” He bantered along. Jack quietly laughed along, hesitant to respond with his own comments. He no longer felt as awkward as he did before, but he was still rather thankful when the waiter arrived with their wine, going on a long explanation of the history and details of each drink. They all nodded along, despite not listening to a single word.

Jack felt fine now, but he wasn’t sure he’d be able to entertain this situation for a few hours longer. Perhaps he could last, but for now he sipped down his wine and waited for dinner to be finished.

~

They were there for about two hours, Jack being unsure if he could eat much more about the third course. But he’d be damned if he didn’t try. He wasn’t sure if he could also drink the amount of wine given to him. And as he thought before, it was all disgusting. But Gérard was paying upwards of $200 for all three of them, so Jack wasn’t going to let a single drop go to waste. And surprisingly enough, he wasn’t super inebriated. Either that wine had as much alcohol as tap water or Jack really was getting old.

He chose to go with the former.

Once the bill arrived, Gérard had refused to tell them the cost despite them both having a general idea. He’d even thrown in a bottle of champagne that had to have been over $100 by itself. Jack had actually become curious as to how much Gérard’s business was making him. Even more so when he found an entirely differently vehicle waiting for the three of them outside of the entrance to the restaurant.

“I had a bit to drink and wouldn’t want to risk it so I got an Uber to take us to the penthouse” He explained, as Jack and Gabriel stared on at the ebony vehicle. “Dude is that a Tesla?” Gabriel asked as the three quickly shuffled over to the car. As Gérard took shotgun, Jack soon realized he would have to sit next to Gabriel. It’s not like it mattered. They were adults, not children.

Maybe.

They still tried to be as far apart as possible, their legs together and pointing towards their respective doors. They wouldn’t even look at each other in the eye, choosing to stare out the window instead as Gérard obliviously chatted with the driver. Jack had thought they seemed to be making progress, but he supposed not.

Jack was in and out of listening to the conversation. From what he could tell, Gérard was interested in buying a new high end vehicle for himself and wanted pointers. He wondered what it would be like to be in Gérard’s shoes, to have a stable career, to live in the lap of luxury, to have a fucking house. Jack couldn’t say he was jealous, but he also couldn’t say he didn’t wonder about glitz and glamor.

But that life would never be for him, and he knew it. Even if he’d received $100,000,000 tomorrow, he’d probably just buy a quaint house in the suburbs with maybe two bedrooms. Perhaps three if he really wanted to feel a little more glamorous. He’d probably put most of it in savings, perhaps buy a better car. Maybe he’d actually move into a cabin in the middle of nowhere and adopt five dogs instead, not having to worry about bills or ever running into an ex.

Or living with one.

But as he was just beginning to enjoy his fantasy world, a tap on the shoulder had immediately brought him back to reality. “We’re here” Gabriel mumbled as Jack glanced over towards him, nodding as he shuffled out of the car. The three thanked the driver, Gérard pulling out his phone to leave the man a tip. Jack stared up at the building, “How many floors is this?” He asked. “43, I have the top two floors” Gérard explained.

“And it’s one bedroom? That’s pretty rare, isn’t it?” Gabriel asked, Gérard grinned over at him. “Yep, I suppose I got lucky, it’s more of a placeholder however. There’s a few townhouses I’ve been looking at, maybe I’ll take Jack off your hands if I get somewhere with more than one bedroom” He teased, Jack laughing along with him. Gabriel stayed rather quiet, just giving an awkward smile with a nod.

As they entered the reception area, a blonde woman behind the desk warmly smiled at the three. “Good evening, Mr. LaCroix!” She greeted, Gérard waving back at her in return. “Good evening, Lucy” He said. She glanced towards Jack and Gabriel, “And I see you brought some friends with you” She noticed, her brown eyes particularly setting on Gabriel. As Jack looked over at the man, he sense the discomfort radiating from him. Jack stifled a laugh as Gérard chatted on.

“Yes, my old friends from college! I just took them out to dinner, we were just about to have some drinks upstairs” He claimed, Jack seemed to get the impression that Lucy felt she would be invited.

She wasn’t

“Oh! Well, have a great time then” She said with a rather forced smile. Gérard smiled back before ushering the two men towards the elevator. He pressed the button, staying silent until the lift arrived. They immediately began to chat when they stepped in, out of the earshot of the receptionist. “Does she have a crush on you or something?” Gabriel questioned, Gérard laughing.

“I doubt it, she’s rather young from what I know so she probably just wants to hang out with the grown ups. She seemed to be rather interested in you, Gabriel” He teased, the man groaning in response. “I’m never coming here ever again” He muttered as he threw his head in his hands. “Aw come on, she only works after 10, don’t hurt me this way” Gérard responded dramatically. Jack giggled along, none of them realizing they’d just about reached their floor.

_Ding!_

“Damn, that was fast” Jack quietly acknowledged, Gérard stepping out before them to lead the way to a pair of double doors. The floors were made of polished granite, Jack almost afraid he was going to ruin it by walking. The walls were a sleek white, but of course the main event was what was behind the doors. The two men followed behind, Gérard swinging open the doors and immediately throwing off his shoes as he stepped inside. Jack stared on, awestruck by the vast quantity of space that filled the area. He could probably fit like twenty of Jack’s room in what was just the first floor.

“Welcome to my humble abode!” Gérard proudly announced, leading the two towards the living room. Jack immediately taking a seat on the couch, leaning back and nearly falling into the overly soft pillows. Gabriel meanwhile had taken a seat in an adjacent armchair.

“Would you like anything to drink before I go and retrieve the surprise?” He asked, Jack shaking his head.

“Do you have Dr. Pepper?”

“A man of fine non-alcoholic tastes!”

Gabriel laughed, Gérard giving him a thumbs up in return. “Coming right up, feel free to turn on the TV to whatever you please” The Frenchman glanced over towards Jack with a grin, “I think I have an American football game recorded just for you, Jack” He added.

“Is it the Falcons vs Eagles game from last night? I missed it” Jack asked, “Should be!” The man responded from the kitchen, his voice echoing throughout the penthouse. Jack had taken pity on the Falcons after their Super Bowl loss the year prior, he had really been rooting from them since he hated the Patriots. On the other hand, he’d rooted for the Eagles for the Super Bowl a few months ago.

But he also really didn’t care much about either team since they weren’t the Colts. And judging from last seasons 4-12 run from his favorite team, he wasn’t sure if he had much to look forward to this year.

Where had 2006 gone?

“Honestly I thought you might’ve given up football” Gabriel commented, looking towards the wall mounted plasma screen TV along with the blonde. Jack raised an eyebrow in response, “What makes you say that?” His ex laughed, “Didn’t think your new friends would be interested in that kind of stuff.”

“How do you know my friends?”

Gabriel let out another laugh, “You probably don’t remember ‘cause you were likely super fucking wasted, but like a year ago you and your “girl squad” went to the hotel I work at and were screaming in the parking lot about having a sleepover. Last I heard about that was you guys renting out one of the suites and ordering a shit ton of room service.”

Jack flushed with embarrassment, he vaguely remembered that night. He remember the cheering of his friends as he chugged down an entire line of rainbow shots. He remembered being very loud with his friends. He also remembered one of them having the brilliant idea of renting out a suite at one of the most expensive hotels in Seattle.

But Jack didn’t remember _ever_ seeing Gabriel.

“That’s rather humiliating” The blonde admitted, Gabriel snorting with a smirk. “It’s not like I haven’t seen you in a worse state” Gabriel reassured, “Do you remember when you jumped off the second story balcony of the fraternity because you wanted to look cool?”

“I did _not_ want to look cool, I just wanted to prove that I could”

“You broke two ribs and your collarbone”

“But I lived, didn’t I?”

Jack couldn’t help but laugh at the memory, shaking his head at his own adolescent stupidity. “I still can’t believe I actually went through with it” He reminisced, “all I remember after that was throwing up into the trashcan by your bed and screeching in pain before falling back asleep, and then being taken to the hospital at like 6 AM.” Gabriel snorted in response, “We tried to get a breathalyzer on you but you kept refusing and hazily mentioning that the Colts would definitely get to the Super Bowl again within the next five years.”

“I was right though” Jack pointed out in response, Gabriel nodding in agreement. “You were, I’ll give that to you. Your drunk football predictions have been far more accurate than your sober ones from what I’ve seen” He added, Jack sticking his tongue out at the man’s teasing. It hadn’t been long until Gérard returned, holding something behind his back as a sly grin was plastered on his face. The blonde glanced over towards Gabriel, who was holding a rather curious expression.

And as Gérard pulled his hand from behind himself, the pill bottle like container held everything they wanted at that very second.

Weed.

Both Gabriel and Jack let out a huge grin as they rushed toward the man who smiled along with them. “I figured we could _really_ throw back to our college days, same strain and everything” Gérard claimed, guiding the men towards the coffee table before laying out the contents of the small bottle atop the glass. Gabriel seemed impressed, taking a bud between his pointer finger and thumb. “You seem to really be going for the nostalgia factor, hopefully I don’t piss my pants from laughter this time” Gabriel observed humorously. Jack could remember that night clearly, as far as he knew it was the first time Amélie and Gérard had formally met.

It was Jack and Gérard’s sophomore year, Gabriel had recently graduated and lucked out with a two bedroom apartment in town. He invited the two over for a housewarming “party” which was really just the three of them in a circle in Gabriel’s bedroom passing around a shitty bubbler. They would immediately spray Febreeze and burn incense to mask the smell afterwards, hoping to not have Gabriel kicked out of his apartment after him only being there for about a month.

He couldn’t remember who mentioned it, but one of them mentioned burgers and started the spiral of Gabriel calling pretty much anyone in his phone contacts to see who would take them to Burger King. And of course, the insomniac 18 year old Amélie Guillard really had nothing better to do. Jack had met her a few times before through Gabriel, but never really knew much about her other than that she was French and a damn good artist.

Gabriel had chosen to sit in the back of her Audi with Jack, he remembered himself thinking far into this move at the time. But to be fair, he was a silly 19 year old who had a crush. At that age, you read into _everything._

And then came a joke.

Jack couldn’t remember who had made it, it very well could have been himself. But it left Gabriel on the verge of tears from laughing, Jack not being able to help himself either. Amélie had insulted the three men in French as she drove along, leaving Gérard to slyly retort in the language as well. And when Gabriel saw her face in the rear view mirror, he lost it. Jack could remember the man pissing himself, and it only made them laugh harder.

Amélie was not laughing.

Jack smiled fondly on the memory, before being snapped back into reality at the sight of Gérard attempting to roll a joint.

“I can _do it!_ I swear, I might be a bit rusty but I can!” The man claimed, Gabriel letting out a huff in frustration as Gérard’s hand continued to shake as he tried to seal it up. “Holy shit dude, I’ll do it” Gabriel claimed in frustration, carefully sliding over the unrolled joint as he took about a quarter of the time to finish the deed.

Gabriel had always told him that while California was a sweltering piece of burning shit, it did have its perks. Jack had always wished he had drug information that was considered _“cool”_ but instead, coming from the middle of nowhere, he could probably tell you the weirdest shit farm kids used to get high. He remembered in his freshman year of high school, there was a drug assembly after a kid was hospitalized after getting high on nutmeg.

Another kid was suspended after stealing hand sanitizer from a classroom and drinking it in the bathroom.

Rumor has it that some kids were getting high on “jenkem” in a field once. Jack knew what it was, but was far too disgusted by the thought to even explain to anyone who asked.

“You have to be patient with it, and also make sure to arrange the desired shape before you roll, I’m going with a pinner for now” Gabriel explained, Jack hesitantly speaking up to add on. “Don’t try to split up the bud with your hands, I tried that in high school and half the joint broke off and burnt a hole in my pants” The blonde explained with a sheepish smile, his ex amusingly letting out a huff from his nose. Gabriel proudly held up the joint, glancing towards the two men,

“Are we ready?”

~

They passed around the joint on the balcony, overlooking the city. Jack hadn’t smoked since he’d broken up with Gabriel, he’d almost forgotten how nice it was to be able to smoke outside freely without fear of arrest. It was certainly better than Jack and Gabriel’s college way of exhaling into the window screen and blocking any cracks in the door with a towel.

Gabriel stared down at the cars passing by below, resting on the railing as Jack took a hit from the joint before handing it off. He wasn’t really sure why he’d ever stopped smoking weed in the first place, it wasn’t like he had ever been a problematic smoker where all he would do is get baked and lie in bed. Alcohol was truthfully far worse for him compared to weed. Although, after he quit smoking, he had also started again. But not exactly the same substance.

Jack had hated cigarettes with all of his heart, he still did. But it was more of a love hate relationship at this point, having taken up the habit shortly before his apartment had burned down. He knew that even now, Gabriel would be furious if he had found out. Jack of course tried his best to be mindful and would usually smoke outside on the front doorstep of the store when at home. If that wasn’t possible, he would do his best to blow all of his smoke out of the window.

As the rotation begun again, Gérard handed Jack the burning joint, Jack taking another slow drag before exhaling a cloud of pungent smoke. He held in a cough that was beginning to fester at the back of his throat, handing over the joint to Gabriel as he pounded the butt of his fist against his chest to hopefully relieve the need to cough. Gabriel smirked over at Jack’s dire urge to cough, Jack furrowing his brow in annoyance in response.

As Gabriel smoked, Jack turned to stare at the pool next to them. He’d never seen a pool this high up before, and from what Gérard had told him, it was heated. “Is this thing comfortable in this type of weather?” Jack asked curiously, motioning towards the pool. He had then begun to notice the crisp air surrounding him, Gérard merely grinning over in response before speaking up.

“Depends on your preference, I’d say so, are you interested in borrowing a pair of swim shorts?” He asked, Jack hesitantly nodding.

“I suppose it couldn’t hurt”

“And you, Gabriel?”

Gabriel shrugged, “I guess, just make sure I don’t drown.” Gérard winked, “No problem! I’ll be right back.” The two men were left in silence, avoiding eye contact as they awaited for their friend’s return. The joint had already been burnt out for a few minutes by then, Gabriel merely holding the unlit roach before noticing. Jack smirked as he stared on at the unsure man, who awkwardly placed it on the armrest of a lounge chair. As their eyes met, Jack quickly looked away so as to not give away the fact he had most certainly been trying not to laugh.

Gérard’s return was made noticed by a pair of swim shorts being thrown at the two, and the man wearing a pair of his own. “There’s two outdoor showers over there, so feel free to use them and I’ll hang up your suits” He offered, Jack nodding as he quickly scurried over towards the barely private shower. He was almost afraid, it was probably the first time in years he’d been naked within 50 feet of his friends. It was the first time in at least a year and a half he’d been naked within 50 feet of his ex.

He had mentioned this to the girls before, he wasn’t sure why but they were very confused by the fact Jack had been naked around Gabriel after they had broken up.

He merely said that they could draw to their own conclusions.

Jack stripped from his suit jacket, throwing it to hang on the shower door. The cold air was certainly not encouraging him to take off his shirt, but he figured that it would be worse if he waited. His hands fidgeted as he attempted to unbutton the un-pressed shirt. And as soon as his chest was exposed, a swift breeze rolled through the rooftop. Jack quickly crossed his arms, letting out a chatter.

“And you would rag on _me_ for being cold in 60 degree weather” Gabriel laughed through the barricade, Jack rolling his eyes. “You can’t see but I’m totally flipping you off right now” He responded, struggling to gather the courage to begin removing his trousers. If his chest wasn’t taking kindly to the cold, then his dick sure wouldn’t. He rustled down his pants, hoping to take his briefs off in one swift motion along with them. Instead he was left struggling, forgetting to unbutton them first. From the creaking noise coming from next to him, he could assume Gabriel was already finished changing.

In a rush, he pulled up the pair of swim trunks. He almost immediately pushed his way out of the outdoor shower and into the heated pool, splashing Gabriel as he jumped in. The wave of warmth that came over him provided the man with a sense of relief. He let out a sigh, glad to be out of the bitter cold. But as soon as he calmed, a splash of water hit him dead in the face. Gabriel had decided to cannonball into the pool, soaking Gérard who decided to continue the chain reaction by jumping in.

“Don’t launch all of the water out of the pool, assholes” Jack teased, Gérard continuing to splash anyways. Gabriel turned to float on his back, Jack treading water as he stared at the pool floor below. “Do you ever get scared that this is gonna just completely collapse while swimming?” Jack asked, Gérard laughing.

“Well I wasn’t until now”

Gérard had climbed out of the pool as fast as he’d gotten in, “I’m gonna go grab a drink, you guys want anything?” He asked. Gabriel shook his head, with Jack accepting the offer. “You got any Coors Light?” The blonde asked. “Yeah, bought the garbage beer just for you” Gérard teased before heading through the glass doors. As Gérard left, the awkward air filled between the two men once again. Gabriel merely snorted, “I don’t know how you drink that shit, it tastes like piss.”

“When you grow up with a strict Christian dad, you take whatever you can get”

“Yeah, but you’re almost 30” Gabriel teased, “Plenty of time for you to gain actual taste.” Jack stuck his tongue out at him, splashing the man in retaliation. “Oh, you’re bringing age into this, huh?” He playfully questioned, “And how old are you? 35?” Gabriel dramatically gasped in offense, “Not even 32, jackass!”

They poked fun at each other for a few moments, waiting patiently for Gérard to return. Gabriel began to float on his back again, Jack trying to follow suit. “I don’t know how you do that, no matter how hard I try I can’t” He commented, Gabriel letting out a grin. “Practice and concentration, young Jack” He commented, Jack attempting again but failing with a huff.

“Alright, Master Yoda, I give up”

They both snickered at each other, that awkward air beginning to make a reappearance as the silence grew. Jack had had his regretful moments with Gabriel since their breakup, but never in a million years did he imagine talking to him this way ever again. He never imagined these moments with Gérard either. He thought those moments had been left behind long ago.

Getting baked together on a single joint, joking around as they tried not to piss themselves from laughter, and staying up far too late despite knowing they all had to be up at 8 am for class the next morning. He missed the way he could talk to Gabriel without the twinge of pain that hit him at the sound of his voice. He missed Gérard influencing the two to do stupid shit with him. He missed the spontaneous road trips, how it felt to be able to just up and leave for a few days with no care in the world.

He wondered where it went wrong. He wondered if his relationship with Gabriel had ruined everything he had come to love. It was almost comforting to think that was the reason, because he knew what had really happened. And what happened, couldn’t ever be stopped.

They had grown up.

Gabriel was no longer a college boy in a fraternity, putting his mouth over the keg nozzle. He was a grown man who owned a home and a record shop. Gérard was no longer the impulsive party boy he had known before, he was now a successful businessman who frequently travelled around the world for his job.

And what was Jack? He used to be a cheerful sports player who had his entire life set up for him. Now he was a depressed man with a dead end job and barely any goal for the future.

Everyone around him had advanced, and it seemed as if Jack was stagnant.

He wondered if it would get any better

Probably not.

~

Both him and Gabriel had stayed the night over at Gérard’s. Gabriel had offered to sleep on the floor, giving Jack the couch. He was admittedly comfortable on the couch, sinking into the lush piece of furniture. Despite that though, he did feel a little bad for Gabriel who kept dismissing Jack’s offer to switch. But he soon got over it, after all, Jack was sleeping on a single air mattress placed on top of a bed frame. Gabriel had a full king sized bed, he could survive for one night.

However, they had gotten barely four hours of sleep as Gabriel had woken him up at around six in the morning. Jack had awoken with a jump after being tapped on the shoulder.

“Jack”

“Shit!”

Gabriel quickly shushed him, “Gérard’s still asleep, I figured I’d wake you up before you need to get into work and before the shop opens.” Jack rubbed his eyes with a yawn, not realizing he was still in a pair of uncomfortably damp swim shorts. It appeared Gabriel had already changed back into his suit, “Your suit’s on the end of the couch.” He sleepily nodded, barely dragging himself off of the couch to go change. He wasn’t even aware of how long it took him, he could barely remember anything up until him walking out of the bathroom in his clothes.

“The house isn’t far, so I figured we’d walk” Gabriel explained, Jack slipping on his socks and shoes on the floor before silently agreeing. He was handed his wallet and phone, Jack thanking him before the door exited the penthouse. “Wild night, huh?” Gabriel acknowledged, Jack shrugging with another a nod. “Tired as shit” The blonde muttered, Gabriel snorting.

“Yeah, me too”

The walk home was rather silent and chilly, neither of them speaking and choosing to shove their hands into their pockets instead. Jack had no intent on talking, but Gabriel had decided to speak up midway through their walk. “Do you remember talking to me before you fell asleep last night?” He asked, Jack being instantly filled with fear as he shook his head.

“I figured, you got kinda drunk once Gérard came back with the beers” He explained, Jack now realizing why he had a pulsing headache. “So what did I say?” Jack asked, Gabriel pursing his lips.

“Not so much what you said, but more of what I said and what you said in response” He explained, Jack raising an eyebrow with a nod.

“Okay, so what did _you_ say?” Jack asked.

Gabriel let out a sigh, his breath visible in the crisp air. “I asked you, if there would ever be any chance of us being friends again” Gabriel admitted, “And not in the way of how exes are _“friends”_ but like, legitimate friends.” Jack wasn’t sure how to feel about that proposal, could they ever _really_ be friends in the way they used to be? He figured his drunk self probably answered in the opposite way of how he really felt.

“So what did I say?” He asked, Gabriel looked over towards the blonde man with another sigh. “You told me I was stoned out of my fucking mind, had no idea what I was saying and would probably forget by the morning” Gabriel revealed, Jack immediately feeling guilty. He never expected his drunk self to be so harsh. Jack opened his mouth to continue, but Gabriel had cut him off.

“Well, it’s the morning, and I remember” Gabriel added, “And I still wonder.”

Jack stared down, his brain unable to put together words to respond to such a statement. He mustered all he could however, “I’m not sure going back to the way things were is possible anymore, I think that part of our lives was ruined when we started dating.” He knew that wasn’t true however, and he spoke up yet again.

“Not even when we started dating, the moment you _kissed_ me in my dorm room was the moment where it all became irreversible” Jack explained further, Gabriel furrowing his brow before giving up with a nod. “Maybe things don’t need to be like the way we were, maybe we can start a completely new page” Gabriel theorized, “I’m just tired of us completely tip toeing around each other, man. We’re adults and you were my best friend.”

And the feeling of guilt had washed over him yet again, he had to admit he missed Gabriel as a friend. Living with him had only made him realize that the two had become total strangers. “Yeah, we’re adults, so we should both realize that someone’s going to get hurt if we try to continue on like nothing happened” Jack retorted, “I’m not saying I don’t miss us being friends, but is it really a good idea?”

“Won’t know until we try”

They were almost back at the house, and Gabriel had one last offer for him.

“Why don’t you come with me and Callum to lunch today?” He asked, with Jack not being able to help himself from laughing. “Lunch with my ex and his new boyfriend? Sounds like fun” He said sarcastically, Gabriel rolling his eyes in response.

“Think of it more as having lunch with your friend and his boyfriend”

“And being a third wheel?”

Gabriel had nothing else to say, but Jack felt that the man knew the blonde would eventually cave. “Where do you wanna get lunch?” Jack asked, Gabriel grinning towards him in response. He wasn’t sure what he’d gotten into, but for now he’d rather focus on getting an extra hour of sleep before work.

~

He was almost hoping his boss wouldn’t allow for him to have a long lunch, but of course, she happily agreed.

Great.

Jack then hoped for a lunch rush slam that wouldn’t allow for him to leave, but that didn’t happen either. And as Gabriel walked through the doors with Callum, Jack knew he wasn’t getting out of this. “Are you two here for Jack?” His boss said happily, “Jack!” She immediately shouted.

“Jesus I’m right here” He mumbled, quickly walking towards the pair as he placed his notepad and pen on the counter. “Hi Jack!” Callum exclaimed with a grin, Jack offering a polite wave and smile in response. “Did you two decide where you want lunch?” Jack asked, Gabriel nodding.

“We decided to make it a bit easier on you and have lunch here, if that’s alright with you?”

Jack had eaten so much food from here, he’d probably get sick if he had another bite but he figured it would make getting back less of a hassle. “Sure, fine with me” Jack answered, his boss grinning at the three.

“Excellent! I’ll set up a booth!”

Jack was sure he would come to regret the decision to accept Gabriel’s offer, but for now he patiently stood beside Callum who smiled over at Jack. Jack merely smiled back. It was an awkward few moments before they were finally seated, Jack sliding into his lonely end of the booth. Callum’s olive green eyes immediately lit up as he looked up at the blonde, “Do you have any recommendations, Jack? I’m sure you’d know better than me!”

“Uh, the chicken sandwich is pretty good, maybe the Dagwood if you’re feeling dare devilish? The apple pie is really good for dessert, I think” Jack offered, Callum quickly nodding. “I’m feeling pretty dare devilish, maybe I’ll get the Dagwood” Callum concluded, Gabriel raising an eyebrow with a smirk. “Look at this, Callum O’Neill, going for the risky choice” He commented, Callum teasingly nudging him in return.

“O’Connor, huh? Sounds pretty Irish” Jack commented, the redhead excitedly nodding. “Yes! 100% Irish, my family immigrated to Brooklyn in the early 1900s” Callum explained, Jack nodding in response. “My dad’s family is Irish Catholic, they immigrated to Chicago around the same time as your family and I guess they just moved more south until they got to Indiana” Jack added, Callum looking far more excited than he should have been.

“Wow, I would’ve never taken you to be Irish, you’re very blonde, and blue eyed” Callum commented, “And tall, is your mom from Northern Europe?”

“Oh so, I’m the third wheel now just because I’m not European” Gabriel cut through teasingly, Callum playfully rolling his eyes in response. “Gabriel, we’ll have plenty of time to listen to your family history later” Callum responded. Jack let out a cough, “To answer your question, close, my mom’s Dutch and Belgian.”

“I think I look more like my dad though, his hair is more sandy blonde compared to mine though”

Gabriel gave Jack a concerned glance, probably because they were on the subject of his father. Jack didn’t really mind speaking of him anymore, however. It had been years since the incident with his father, Jack had come to accept that he would probably never speak to his dad again and he was fine with it. Sometimes Jack felt as though he spoke about his dad as if he were no longer alive, but as far as he knew, his father was still up and kicking.

“So where was your family from? Mine lived in Sligo before they moved to Brooklyn” Callum continued, “Donegal I think, somewhere around there” Jack replied, Gabriel leaving the two be as he gazed through the menu.

“Wow! That’s actually not far from Sligo, I think”

“So are you from Brooklyn?”

“Rochester, my parents are from Brooklyn though”

“I can tell you have a twinge of an accent” Jack admitted, Callum quickly covering his mouth. “Oh god, I know, I hate it” He confessed, Gabriel poking his side with a grin. “Aw c’mon, it’s cute” The man commented, Jack offering a smile as well. “I think it suits you” The blonde commented, “Not over the top but it’s still unique.”

“Jack, stop flirting with my boyfriend” Gabriel jokingly replied, Jack sticking his tongue out at him. “Oh! Is Jack flirting with me? Can I finally tell you that he’s cute?” Callum played along, making kissy faces at the man across from him. Jack waved his hand, placing the other on his cheek.

“Aw stop! You’re making me blush!”

Gabriel rolled his eyes, feigning a noise of disgust as the two laughed.

Jack had to admit, he had fun with the two. He wasn’t sure he was expecting, but he genuinely enjoyed getting to know Callum and teasing Gabriel like old times. But Jack still held up his wall, because he still knew that he would end up getting hurt if he got _too_ close to them. So maybe he would say hello to Gabriel in the mornings, instead of trying to avoid him for as long as he could. Maybe he wouldn’t keep his chats with Callum below small talk. Perhaps, this could work.

Jack still had that feeling though, the feeling of impending doom.

But for now, he’d enjoy the friendly bliss while it lasted.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> https://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=Jenkem 
> 
> i do not suggest ever doing this and i hope that you all think the same as i do lmaooo it was mostly to point out that jack grew up w some dumb ass kids loooool
> 
> i hope you guys enjoyed, i had fun writing all of this! as for next chapter....it’s a flashback chapter
> 
> it very well could put this through to an E rated fic
> 
> it probably will lmao


	12. Chapter 12

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hello!!!! one of my personal favorite chapters is here and i’m so excited to share it with you! this chapter clocks in at almost 10.3k words so buckle in! this is the chapter that has made me no longer able to justify it having an M rating, soooo E RATING!!! i won’t spoil anything but this isn’t the last smut scene in this fic and definitely not the heaviest lol
> 
> hope you enjoy and shout out to abbey for publishing this for me since i dont have access to a pc loll
> 
> EDIT: Abbey posted this for me at around 9 PM so I’m sure there are some readers that won’t see this until tomorrow, so far I don’t think there’s been an issue but I will bring up that there is a very small segment on eating disorders in athletics, if that makes you uncomfortable it’s a very small segment that can easily be passed, thank you!

_May 2010_  

It had been almost a year since Gabriel had graduated, a day that Jack had the floodgates pour out from his eyes. He would wipe them away anytime Gabriel was near, acting as though he was fully composed. He hadn’t been the only one crying though, as it had been the first day he’d met Gabriel’s parents who were hysterical as well. Despite all of the emotions flowing through the three, Gabriel’s parents seemed to actually like the blonde rather well. 

However, they cried at the number of accomplishments their son had made. Hell, he graduated magna cum laude, the top 10% in his class. Jack knew that they couldn’t be prouder of the man. And Jack was incredibly proud of his friend too, but he was crying for an entirely different reason.

Gabriel had expressed the possibility of moving back to Los Angeles, Jack’s stomach dropping the first time he was told. He wondered if it would be the end of their friendship, how they could possibly survive being over 1,000 miles away from each other. Gabriel had insisted that no matter what, they would always be best friends. The words _“best friends”_ had rung in his ears for days after. He had promised that they’d spend the summer together, and they did so. The feeling in the pit of his stomach remained however, for the entirety of those three months.

It wasn’t until Jack had started up school again did Gabriel decide he would be staying in Seattle. Jack had never felt more relieved in his life. Gabriel had apparently struck a deal with the landlord at an apartment building outside of town and had gotten a two bedroom unit. Jack hadn’t been sure how he would be able to survive Seattle without his friend.

He had given him the courage to go on his first date, coaching him on ideas of what to say or do. Gabriel had taught him about the bits of gay sex Jack perhaps didn’t know so well, not like he had sex with any of the guys he’d gone on dates with. He had actually never started a relationship with any of the men he’d gone out with. 

Because no matter who they were, no matter what they looked like, there was still only Gabriel to him. He was almost hating how his mind couldn’t get over his friend, wondering if he could ever move on. The sleepovers every weekend and lunch dates on Wednesdays probably weren’t helping that, however. He wondered if he was still clinging onto Gabriel, and that thought was what brought him to his first party without him in a year. He still had Ashley to go with him, but he wasn’t sure if it would be the same. 

The fraternity still held Jack in high regards, attempting to influence him to join. They would invite him to every party, Jack often choosing to politely decline. However, exam week had just ended and Jack decided it couldn’t hurt to celebrate. And boy, did he celebrate.

Keg stands, mixed shots, and _a lot_ of drunk dancing was what the night consisted of. Apparently, someone had brought weed, and at some point he was handed a bubbler along with a lighter. He could remember those around him looking concerned at how big of a rip he took, and it ended with Jack trying not to throw up on the floor before handing it off to someone else. Despite the scare, he still yelled along to Tik Tok until his throat became sore.

But at some point, his back began to hurt, his eyes began to droop, and the crash from his buzz was starting to begin. His friend was nowhere to be found however, and he had left his wallet at home so a cab was out of the question. Jack was left with only one option, and he could only hope that option was available at this hour. 

He sat outside on the step in front of the door, attempting to text his best friend with his shaky fingers betraying him. 

 

Gabe  
  
**Today** 3:02 AM  
dude ware you awake

 

The blonde waited patiently for a response, rather surprised when it came so soon.

 

 

yeah  
  
are you wasted  
  
im fscukin drukn as hell lolol  
  
pretyt higth twoo  
  
do you need a ride to your dorm?  
  
hahua ya  
  
be there soon  
  
byyyeeeeeeeeeeeeee (Heavy Black Heart ≊ Red Heart)(Heavy Black Heart ≊ Red Heart)(Heavy Black Heart ≊ Red Heart)(Heavy Black Heart ≊ Red Heart)(Waving Hand Sign ≊ Waving Hand)(Cocktail Glass )(Smiling Cat Face With Open Mouth )(Pile Of Poo )  
  
haha thqese emojis r so cool

He giggled as he scrolled through the pages of emoticons, wrapping an arm around his stomach to keep himself warm. It was beginning to warm up in Seattle, but as is with the Northwest, it was still cold as shit to him. A few passerbys leaving the party had asked if he was okay, and if he needed a ride home. He thanked them but explained that his ride was coming soon. And just as he spoke, the man pulled up on the side of the road, stepping out of his vehicle. 

Gabriel’s mahogany hair was incredibly disheveled, and he had been wearing merely a t-shirt and pajama pants along with a pair of slippers. He looked as though he had just woken up, and it made Jack feel rather guilty. Nevertheless, he walked towards the blonde and reached out a hand to help him up. Jack took his hand, a shiver coming over his body. As soon as he was on his feet, he could feel himself stumble. Gabriel put an arm around his back to support him, Jack slinging his arm on his shoulder. 

“You smell like weed and fruity alcohol, dude” Gabriel commented with a smirk, helping Jack over to the car. “Thanks, _dude.”_ He teased in return, Gabriel walking him over to the passenger side of the car. “Can you get in yourself or do you need help?” Gabriel asked, Jack dismissively waving his hand. “imfineigotit” Jack drunkenly claimed, his words slurring together as he opened the door and practically fell into the passenger seat. Gabriel stifled a laugh, but closed the door behind Jack as he made his way to the driver's seat.

He actually managed to buckle himself in before Gabriel had pulled off from the side of the road. His friend commended him for managing to do it all by himself. Jack stuck his tongue out at him in return. 

The ride home was rather quiet, believe it or not. Gabriel’s eyes were planted on the road, and Jack’s on Gabriel. He wasn’t sure what he did to ever deserve a friend like Gabriel, to have someone who would willing wake up at 3 AM to pick up his drunk friend from a party despite needing to wake up in five hours. It was no wonder he was so incredibly attracted to him, it was no wonder that _a lot_ of people were attracted to him.

Gabriel had mentioned before that Amélie had confessed to having feelings for him when they had first met. She claimed it was merely because he was the first person to be genuinely kind to her when she came to Seattle. Jack couldn’t be jealous or upset, because he knew that it was reasonable. It was incredibly reasonable for all of the boys and girls alike to have feelings for the man.

Gabriel projected himself as a tough “bad boy” but it had always been obvious that wasn’t the case. He could come off as snarky, but it was always known it was from a place of humor compared to rudeness. He genuinely cared about those he was close to, and would do anything for a stranger in need. Not to mention his talents in the arts, as well as just being astoundingly smart in general.

And good god, was he a dork.

Jack was never sure why he would try to hide these things, why he would want to build up a wall around himself instead of letting the world see how brilliant he was. But perhaps it was a question for another day, he just felt incredibly honored to be let in by his best friend. Jack was sure he’d been staring at Gabriel for far too long, but he wasn’t sure it mattered anymore.

As they arrived at Jack’s dorm, Gabriel had gotten out of his seat and walked over to the passenger side to help Jack out of the car. “Are you safe to walk on your own?” Gabriel asked, Jack shrugging in response. “I might need help on the stairs” He suggested, “We can just take the elevator since you’re on the fourth floor.”

Jack silently agreed, walking towards the entrance with Gabriel who held open the door for him. He wasn’t stumbling as bad as before, but he still felt a bit dizzy. Gabriel walked closely beside him, likely to be able to prevent a fall if it were to happen. The elevator came rather quickly since there weren’t very many students going in and out of the dorms at this hour. Gabriel ushered him in, pressing the fourth floor button as they both got in. Jack leaned up against the wall, hoping to keep his balance.

Gabriel lead him out of the elevator as they arrived, “Your room is 416, right?” Jack nodded as the two walked down the hallway. His room wasn’t that far from the elevator, so he began to fumble his keys inside of his pocket. As they arrived at his dorm room, he gave his keys to Gabriel who unlocked the door. Jack knew his hands were far too shaky at that moment to take less than five minutes, so he merely followed behind Gabriel.

“Do you have any clean pajamas?” Gabriel asked as he immediately walked over towards the man’s dresser. Jack raised an eyebrow as he stumbled beside the man, “I think so, why?”

“I don’t trust you to not change out of your alcohol soaked clothes” 

Gabriel pulled out a t-shirt and a pair of boxers from his drawer, “Do these work for you?” 

“I guess so”

He threw the shirt and boxers at Jack, who then slowly stripped out of his shirt before giving a teasing glance towards Gabriel. “Are you gonna watch me get changed?” Jack asked coyly, Gabriel’s cheeks immediately flushing red as he gave a glare at the man. “Do you want me to leave?” He asked through gritted teeth, Jack shrugging.

“What would you say if I don’t want you to?”

It was unlike Jack to be so bold, but he had taken a good bit of liquid courage only about an hour earlier. There had been no going back by that point, it would only be worse if he attempted to backpedal. So he would have to keep his confidence, straightening his back and puffing out his chest. He attempted to keep a sly grin plastered across his face, but he could tell that he was beginning to shake.

Jack awaited a response from Gabriel, who opened his mouth before closing it again. He could feel it in his bones that this was a _terrible_ idea. He had no idea why he’d gotten so cocky in the first place, even _with_ the alcohol in his system. He was sure to regret this tomorrow, if he could remember.

“I’d say you’re wasted” 

Jack’s confidence had immediately come crashing down. But he supposed, it could’ve been worse. Gabriel definitely could’ve stormed out awkwardly, but Jack was just grateful he chose to stay to entertain the blonde’s thoughts. The man stood there, hands in pockets as he began to smirk up at his friend. “You probably won’t remember so I’ll just tell you that was pretty cute, I won’t lie” Gabriel then claimed, poking his friend’s side. 

“I don’t think I’ll forget”

“Sure, Jackie”

Jack wasn’t sure what else to say, but he couldn’t help himself from smiling at the nickname. Despite the fact his friend only said he was cute because he would supposedly “forget”, his stomach was filled with butterflies. His eyes had forced themselves to meet with his friend’s, “Why did you call me that?” was all he could manage to muster out. 

“Because that’s your nickname?” Gabriel responded, looking rather confused. “Are you too drunk to remember that’s what everyone in the frat house would call you?” He added to ask.

“I never said that I forgot, _you_ never called me that, though”

The brown eyed man quickly looked away in response to Jack’s answer. Jack could do nothing but rock back and forth on the balls of his feet. They were a lot closer than Jack remembered them being before, almost chest to chest as Jack tried to contain himself from letting them get any more near one another. He could see Gabriel’s brows begin to furrow,

“You can’t look at me that way when you’re drunk, shirtless, and like 2 centimeters away from me” Gabriel claimed, sounding rather frustrated. “Why not?” Jack asked innocently in return. Gabriel huffed as he shoved his hands in the pockets of his pajama pants.

“You’re really dumb if you don’t know how attractive you are”

“But why can’t I look at you?”

“Because you make me wanna jump your bones and you’re drunk as fuck”

Jack’s face immediately flushed, his mind being too foggy really know the exact definition of that saying, but he figured he might have an idea. “I’m not _that_ drunk” He quietly insisted, his hands moving to fiddle with the front of Gabriel’s shirt. He could feel the man’s breathing become heavier as Jack filled any space in between them. He wasn’t sure when he had made the turn from confident, to downtrodden, to confident again but he had nothing to lose at this point. Not like Gabriel hadn’t said he wanted to fuck him.

Gabriel attempted to look away from Jack, but he wouldn’t budge “..I mean, I can’t really take your word for it.” Jack sighed, “Okay _fine,_ but would you kiss me?” He asked, sounding almost exasperated at this point.

“Jack-“ 

“Gabe” 

Jack had two handfuls of Gabriel’s t-shirt, pulling him closer until their foreheads met. He could feel Gabriel hesitantly place a hand on the back of his neck, his shaky breath becoming more evident as they stood for longer. The feeling of nervousness had suddenly hit him, perhaps he was too tipsy to notice before but he had the man he adored so much pressed up against his chest. He wanted to kiss him, he wanted to grasp the courage he’d been building over the past year and a half and just…

Go for it.

As he prepared to lean into Gabriel, it seemed as if the other man had made up his mind before Jack. Their lips brushed up against one another, tenderly moving together in unison as Jack ended his grip on Gabriel’s shirt, moving to lightly cup his cheek instead. Jack had never been a believer of fate until that very moment. Every single curve and crevice on their bodies were filled by the other, it was almost as if they fit together almost too perfectly. 

But it was Gabriel who pulled away first, Jack’s eyes slowly fluttering open to glance at Gabriel. Jack had seen the sun set into the depths of Appalachians before and he had seen the flowing cascades of Cataract Falls surrounded by the golden and auburn shades of autumn. He had even skated on the frozen waters of Evergreen Lake in Colorado, decorated with dusted pine trees and the rockies claiming the skyline as their own.

But Jack knew, this would be the most beautiful sight he would ever see in his life. 

The man was nervously running his fingers through his hair, his mahogany waves becoming more and more tousled as he continued. His swollen lips were coated in saliva, airbrushed a shade of red from the blood flow pulling to his lips. However, his eyes had Jack mesmerized. In that moment, he damned anyone who said brown eyes could never be beautiful. The overhead light had hit his eyes in a way that let the honey gold hues shine through.

Jack had seen a lot of stunning things, but he knew that this moment could beat anything by thousands of miles.

“I have to be sure, Jackie” Gabriel started, “I have to be sure this isn’t a drunken mistake that you’ll hate me for.” Jack frowned, “I wouldn’t-“ 

“You say that now, but your opinion could change when you wake up in the morning” 

Jack felt defeated, but accepted Gabriel’s decision. The man ruffled Jack’s golden locks, “Get some sleep, see you tomorrow.” And just like that, he was gone. Jack eventually did change into his pajamas, and managed to get in bed himself without any major accidents.

But he wasn’t sure if he would be able to sleep that night

He barely did 

~ 

He was awoken by the sound of a knocking on the door, immediately shooting up as he glanced over towards his alarm clock. 

_2:42 PM_

Jack ran a hand through his hair, catching his breath as he tried to remember if last night had been a dream or not. It had all felt so real, the feeling of Gabriel’s soft lips, how the warmth of his skin seeped through his shirt, and how both terrified and blissful he had felt.

The door was knocked again, this time it had sounded rather soft. Jack had finally jumped out of bed and darted towards the door, swinging it open to have his blue eyes set on Gabriel. The man was wearing his varsity hoodie, his hands in his pockets as he looked at Jack with a rather forced smile.

“Hey”

Jack had felt as though he had been stabbed once he saw how uncomfortable Gabriel was. He merely looked down at his feet in response, “Hey” He quietly offered in return. “Can we talk?” Gabriel asked, Jack silently nodding before moving out of the way to allow the man into his dorm room. He was almost expecting the knock on the door to be his dorm mate who probably went out to a party as well. And he wasn’t sure if the reality was better or worse.

Jack shut the door behind him as Gabriel sat down on his single bed. Jack moved to sit on his bed as well, leaving at least a foot of space between Gabriel and himself. He wasn’t prepared for what was about to come. Whether it be a rejection or an acceptance, he wasn’t sure if he could handle it. It wouldn’t make any sense, however, to be rejected. Gabriel had to make sure _Jack_ wasn’t the one making a drunken mistake, not the other way around.

He then wondered, if Gabriel had made the mistake instead of himself. Jack had definitely wasn’t a stranger to rejection, but he knew it would hit him a little harder at this point if it was to happen.

“Do you remember last night?” Gabriel merely asked, Jack pursed his lips but eventually nodded in response. Gabriel softly nodded as well, “Can I ask if you regret it?”

Jack let out a heavy sigh, “I regret that I pressured you into kissing me, and made you uncomfortable by doing so” He explained, Gabriel opened his mouth to speak but was cut by Jack’s rambling. “You know how attractive you are and I might have fucked everything up by letting it get the best of me” He continued, Gabriel yet again trying to speak but Jack just kept going on and on.

It was a terrible habit of Jack’s, his thoughts and assumptions spilling out of his mouth before the other person could talk, but he continued. “I don’t know maybe it’s because I’m still like, kinda young and hormones and shit, or maybe it’s because we just spend so much time together that my brain automatically wants to latch onto you-“

“Jesus christ dude, can I speak?” Gabriel said with a groan, Jack quickly stopping his train of thought. His friend sighed, “Sorry, but why do you always have to assume the worst? You totally would’ve avoided getting way into your head if you just let me talk.” 

“Just how my brain works, I guess” 

Gabriel nodded, “Well, I just wanted to say that I meant what I said about you and how you make me feel, I wanted to make an offer.”

“I’m listening” 

He could see Gabriel grow more nervous by the second, his hands fiddling with his jacket zipper and biting his lip. “Have you ever been in a friends with benefits type relationship?” He asked, the words seemingly falling right out of his mouth

Jack was surprised to hear this. Friends with benefits, he knew that was when you fucked your friend but you were still just friends. He wasn’t expecting anything more than that, but he just wasn’t expecting something so _bold._ “I can’t say that I have” He confessed.

“I figured...so maybe, we could have something like that? I guess it would kinda be like me mentoring you again, but..physically?” Gabriel elaborated, Jack considering the thought for a moment. Gabriel was definitely proposing that they have sex, and more than once. It wasn’t exactly a romantic relationship, but he knew it was an opportunity he didn’t want to pass up.

“It sounds...pretty good” He confessed awkwardly, leaving Jack to flush of embarrassment, “What are the boundaries and rules you want to set up?” 

Gabriel scratched his head in thought, “I mean, I’ve always felt that friends with benefits relationship will always be sort of spontaneous so rules are constantly thrown out the window.” Jack nodded, “That’s fine, maybe no public affection? Just to lower the chance of confusion?” He suggested. Gabriel nodded, “I guess that’s reasonable.”

They both awkwardly smiled at each other, unsure as to what to say next. Gabriel let out a cough, “I have to run and pick up a prescription, but are you down to hang out tonight?” He asked. Jack tried to hide his excitement, biting down on a smile as he nodded, “Yep, no plans.” Gabriel nodded as well, inching closer to him, veiny hands resting on his lap as the pair tried to think of what to do next.

“Can I kiss you?” Gabriel hesitantly asked, breaking eye contact with the blonde as his face flushed with red. Jack blinked, eyes widening as he gathered his thoughts. “I don’t know, is that allowed?” Jack responded, Gabriel shrugging.

“Is it? We make the rules, don’t we?” 

Jack thought for a moment, Gabriel _had_ been right. They literally just agreed to not really having any rules except for no PDA. And so Jack accepted, a quiet agreement that was understood by his friend who leaned to softly press his lips against his own. It was tender, and almost bittersweet. So he wouldn’t get the cheesy date nights, or the ability to openly declare his love for him. He could be okay with that, because he at least got to kiss him in private. Hell, Jack had managed to score _multiple_ future sex sessions.  

It wasn’t the fairytale relationship he had dreamed of, but maybe this would work out in his favor.

~

He’d changed his outfit at least four times that evening. For some reason, it always felt off. The shirt was too big, the pants were too tight, it looked thrown together, he just couldn’t get it _right._ As 6:30 approached, all Jack had left was a school hoodie and an ill fitting white t-shirt. With Jack being more than a mere freshman substitute once he started his sophomore year, football had really begun to bulk him up. He had been muscular before, but even his mom had been surprised to see him so fit.

His mother had originally been against him trying out for the college football team. She had expressed the worries of Jack developing an eating disorder in an attempt to gain more muscle or shed fat. He thought she had been being ridiculous, until Gabriel had started to check on his eating habits. His coach had been pretty good about making sure the players weren’t developing unhealthy eating habits, but Jack knew it still happened.

Gabriel had confessed to having been bulimic for a good chunk of college, the pressure of maintaining the “optimal body size” had been at its worst during his junior year of college. Hearing about Gabriel’s history as well as finding a teammate purging in the locker room bathroom, Jack apologized to his mother for telling her she was “overreacting.” 

As he was finally dressed for the night, his phone buzzed. He picked it up from the edge of his bed, his stomach gathering in knots at the name that appeared on the screen.

 

 

Gabe  
  
**Today** 6:28 PM  
hey  
  
u still coming?? 

He bit his lip in a panic, but let his fingers do the talking for him.

 

 

yeah, bout to leave now  
  
k cool  
  
see you soon  
  
see u 

Jack felt even more nervous than he did before. Gabriel sounded almost uninterested, perhaps he was tired of waiting for Jack? The blonde’s mind had immediately spiralled down into worst case scenario. What if he had completely ruined his chance with man by being too picky with his outfit? He really wished Gérard hadn’t transferred to that business school across town. The only reason _why_ he ever got to that party and met Gabriel was because Gérard had chosen an outfit for him.  

He let out a sigh, grabbing the essentials before walking out of his dorm room and locking the door. 

He was rather unprepared for the night ahead, but he had been unprepared for most of his life and had gotten this far by winging it. 

So he’ll just have to do it again.

~

Arriving at Gabriel’s was more nerve wracking than he’d expected it to be. He’d had movie nights with Gabriel before, but this time was different. Before, they were two friends watching shitty action movies and throwing popcorn at each other. Now, they were two friends who would still probably do the same exact thing except make out with each other as well. It had felt like both nothing and everything had changed since that morning. 

He wasn’t sure whether or not he should knock on the door, or just text Gabriel that he was there. Apparently Gabriel had already noticed however, swinging the door open with a sly smirk. “Hey” Gabriel greeted, Jack returning a “Hey” in return.

“Oh shit! Jack’s here!” A voice yelled from behind Gabriel, another head poking out from the kitchen archway. 

Gérard and Amélie.

Jack wasn’t sure if he was more disappointed or relieved to see the pair in Gabriel’s apartment. However, he still stepped in as Gabriel moved out of the way for him. “We were just watching Office reruns, are you cool with Monty Python for the movie?” Gabriel asked, Jack nodding as he moved over towards the living space. Gérard had already made himself at home, his shoes off and feet up on the ottoman as he leaned back on the couch.

“Good to see you again, JJ” Gérard teased, having heard Jack’s mother call him that over the phone once. The blonde rolled his eyes, letting himself fall back onto the couch as he thought of a response. 

“And a warm greeting to you too, Gerbear” He teased right back, Amélie stopping dead in her tracks as her face flushed a bright shade of pink. Gérard seemed to be rather embarrassed as well as Gabriel snickered from the kitchen. “Hey man! That’s personal, Jackrabbit!” 

“Maybe next time don’t have your volume at full blast when talking to your girlfriend” Jack replied, not fully realizing the nickname that had been used. “Wait! Hey! Leave my mother out of this, again!” Jack quickly shot, Gérard laughing along with Gabriel continuing to chuckle as well. 

“Alright you two, am I going to have to split you up?” The man asked as he moved to sit next to Jack, popcorn bowl in hand. He wasn’t sure how he was going to be able to handle this for almost two hours. It wasn’t as if they were strangers to sitting close to each other, but things weren’t the same anymore. And he wasn’t sure if he was seeing things, but from what he could tell, Gabriel felt the same way.

After he’d placed the popcorn bowl on the coffee table, he began anxiously drumming his fingers against his knees. They were both as far and as close together as they could be, and it confused Jack even further. According to every single advice website on the internet, friends with benefits were just that. 

Friends, with benefits.

They were _supposed_ to be acting like normal friends for the entirety of the time that they _weren’t_ sleeping together. Normal friends don’t act like 12 year olds with a crush, but what did Jack know? Perhaps this was normal, or perhaps Jack was reading far into Gabriel’s actions. Either way, they sat like that for about an hour. Fingers brushing together before both quickly pulled away their hands, legs just barely touching as they pretend not to notice, and Jack could feel his palms become sweatier by the moment.  

The two only spoke to one another when Gabriel paused the movie for Gérard and Amélie to have a smoke break on the balcony. Jack hadn’t moved from his spot, Gabriel leaving for the kitchen to come back with two cans of beer. Jack thanked him, his fingers cracking open the can before taking a rather long chug. He could feel Gabriel’s eyes lingering on his mouth for an unnatural amount of time, Jack glancing back in time for Gabriel to look away as if he wasn’t staring in the first place.

Jack wiped off the beer that had trickled down his chin, Gabriel staring over once again. He put the can down on the coffee table, suddenly being caught off guard by a hand on his thigh. He whipped his head around to look towards Gabriel, who merely pulled him closer. The man leaned towards him, whispering in his ear.

“Do you wanna stay over?” Gabriel purred, a shudder rolling down Jack’s spine as he turned to face the man. “I suppose I can’t say no to that” Jack answered quietly, Gabriel trying to hold back a grin before Jack pulled him in for a quick kiss before their friends returned. It only lasted for a few seconds, but to Jack it felt like an eternity. It was nice to be able to somewhat freely kiss the man, granted it would have to be completely private but that was certainly better than continuing to hold back those feelings.

Once Gérard and Amélie returned from the balcony, it was another 45 minutes before the end of the movie. The French couple had spent most of it cuddling and teasing one another, leaving Jack anxious for him and Gabriel to finally be alone. It was almost 9 when they both claimed that they had to be up early the next morning, before asking Jack if he needed a ride home.

Gabriel claimed that Jack had lost a bet and would need to help him clean up. Gérard had accepted and they were on their way, Jack unsure if he should jump on Gabriel as soon as he shut the door. However, the brunette merely began searching through DVDs in his collection. “Do you like Pulp Fiction?” Gabriel asked, glancing back towards Jack who shrugged but eventually nodded. “Pretty good movie, I think” He answered, “My dad wouldn’t ever let me watch it that much, though.”

Gabriel nodded, taking the DVD out of its case and popping it in the player. He returned to sit down next to Jack, using the remote to start the film. He wondered if Gabriel was just as nervous as him, wondered if his heart was racing as fast as Jack’s. From what Jack could tell, he seemed rather collected. He was sipping on his drink, leaning back on the couch with his legs loosely spread. Jack wasn’t sure how this was supposed to work, would he just have to randomly kiss Gabriel for things to get moving? Would he have to wait for Gabriel?

He hadn’t realized just how attractive Gabriel was in that very moment, wearing an old t-shirt and a pair of sweatpants while running a hand through his hair. Jack needed to give himself a pep talk, and _fast._ “Uh” Jack let out a cough, “I gotta run to the bathroom real quick” He explained. Gabriel raised an eyebrow but nodded, “You know where it is, right?” He answered.

“Yeah, I’ve only been here a bajillion times” Jack said, Gabriel smirking at the blonde with a laugh. “Damn, alright, I’ll pause the movie” He claimed before picking up the remote again. Jack had already made his way down the hallway, entering the first door on the left. After entering the bathroom, he immediately clenched onto the sides of the sink as he stared at himself in the mirror.

“You can do this” He whispered to himself, hoping Gabriel couldn’t hear him as he continued to hype himself up. “You got this, just don’t act so fucking weird” He continued, hoping to light a spark of confidence inside of himself, but to no avail. He needed advice, but he wasn’t sure from _who_ exactly. He wouldn’t feel comfortable telling Gérard at that moment, seeing as though they’d literally just left like twenty minutes before. Ashley would probably tell everyone she knew, and the guys from the fraternity would probably have no idea what to even say.

He had just one person left. 

 

 

Ana  
  
**Today** 9:14 PM  
ana, hey  
  
are you awake  
  
Jack, I have to be up at 4:30 tomorrow to drive Fareeha to the airport for a school trip  
  
What do you need?  
  
shit okay nvm then  
  
I’m already awake, what do you want?  
  
um

Jack was unsure of what to say, he already felt bad enough for bothering her with such a ridiculous matter. However, he knew she would get even more frustrated if he had continued to dismiss her asking, and so he responded. Before doing so, he flushed the toilet to pretend that he’d actually gone to the bathroom. 

 

so have you ever had a person that you like  
  
really really like?  
  
Jack I’m married and have had a kid with someone  
  
fuck sorry that was stupid  
  
but okay, and say that with this person you really like  
  
you’re alone with them and you might have a chance to um  
  
do stuff  
  
how do you initiate stuff  
  
Who is it?  
  
doesn’t matter  
  
I feel like I already know who  
  
??? how  
  
Jack  
  
I’m not an idiot  
  
But anyways, let me give you one better  
  
Say that this person just so happens to be your best friend  
  
And you’re both very clearly sexually attracted to each other  
  
ana i’m currently in his bathroom can we move on with this  
  
Jeez, fine  
  
Honestly all I can say is that you just need to be yourself  
  
Don’t force yourself to act a certain way, I’m sure that this “person” is attracted to you for who you are  
  
And don’t force anything to happen, if it’s meant to happen then it’ll happen  
  
ana that is exactly what all of the generic advice websites said  
  
You’re never satisfied are you?  
  
Okay, obviously do the stuff from before but also be subtly flirty  
  
Don’t throw yourself at him, maybe a quick touch of the hand? Laugh at all of his jokes even if they’re god awful, definitely  
  
What are you wearing?  
  
Um, a hoodie and some jeans  
  
Under the hoodie?  
  
white t-shirt  
  
it’s really tight and uncomfortable actually, i haven’t picked up another pack yet  
  
Pretend that it’s really hot and take off your hoodie, the t-shirt showing off your muscles is a good bonus  
  
I need to get to sleep, but good luck  
  
thanks i need to chug another beer  
  
Goodnight  
  
night

He wasn’t sure how helpful Ana was in that moment, but he figured it was far better than nothing. Before he headed out of the bathroom, he adjusted his hair and spritzed himself with a cologne sample he’d been holding onto since the last time he was in a Sephora. He took a deep breath before finally exiting the bathroom. Gabriel glanced over towards him, “You alright, dude?” He asked. Jack quickly nodded, “Uh yeah, got distracted cause Ana sent me a text” He lied.

“Sending Ana dick pics? I don’t think Reinhardt would like that, very much” Gabriel joked, Jack rolling his eyes in response as he sat down next to him. “She had just asked if we wanted to come over for drinks tomorrow since Fareeha is going on a school trip” He lied again, Gabriel looking interested. 

“Oh? I’d be down, haven’t seen them in a while”

“I’ll let her know”

It was too risky to text her now, with Gabriel pressed up against his side. Jack would just have to tell her about his fib later, hopefully he would remember. Gabriel had resumed the movie, Jack taking another long swig from his beer in hopes of loosening up a bit. Gabriel seemed surprised at this, “It normally takes you like three hours to even finish half a beer, are you sure you’re alright?”

“Just a bit thirsty is all” Jack responded coyly, Gabriel accepting his answer and turning his attention back to the movie. He definitely felt far tenser than he did before, desperately trying to think back on Ana’s suggestions. 

_Be yourself_

He thought of what normal Jack would do, but normal Jack would be trying to watch the movie and not trying to fuck his best friend so that was out of the question.

 _Don’t throw yourself at him, but flirt_  

He wasn’t sure exactly _how_ to flirt at this point. He’d obviously flirted with girls in high school and guys on brief dates but Gabriel was in an entirely different ballpark. Maybe he could take off his hoodie? The t-shirt looked more ridiculous than it did attractive but he figured it was worth a shot. And so he stripped from his hoodie, feeling almost a sense of satisfaction as Gabriel’s eyes set on him.

“Got kinda hot” He explained, Gabriel pursing his lips as he nodded. They seemed to have been back at the beginning, awkwardly squirming next to one another as they attempted to ignore the growing sexual tension in the room. Jack wondered if this was how things would always be from then on, or if they would ever become normal.

Jack tried to focus on the artistic stylings of Quentin Tarantino but his mind was glued to his best friend. It wasn’t until Gabriel had finally spoken up did he snap out of it.

“Are you sure you’re okay with this?” Gabriel asked, “Like, this being a thing?” Jack let out a sigh, finally feeling free to express how he felt. “It’s not that I’m _not_ okay with” He confessed, “I just have no idea what I’m doing or even _what_ to do.” His friend nodded, “I understand dude, kind of a big change, huh?”

“Yeah, not many people go from having a totally normal relationship with their best friend one day and then kissing them the next”

“Hey man, you’d be surprised, it’s more common than you think”

“You don’t see any of the frat guys getting boners for each other”

Gabriel laughed, “Don’t be sure about that, they were the most homoerotic straight guys I’ve ever met.” Jack snorted along with him, Gabriel placing a hand on the blonde’s knee. Jack couldn’t help but calm down, at least slightly. “Just know we don’t have to do anything you don’t want to, and I hope you’d say the same for me” He explained, Jack profusely nodding. “Yeah! Of course, whatever we’re both comfortable with” He agreed, “Would you be comfortable with uh..” He started, “kissing? Like, at this moment?”

Gabriel was the one that leaned in for the kiss, yet again. Jack could feel Gabriel’s hand move to cup his cheek, as his lips almost trembled against Gabriel’s. They kissed like two high schoolers, scared to go any further than a mere peck, scared that they were doing something incorrectly. He was unsure as to what to do with his hands, hesitantly placing them on both sides of Gabriel’s neck. The taste of his mouth was almost intoxicating, and he chased it as if his life depended on it.

Jack had never felt this way about another human in his rather short life prior. He’d “dated” girls, he’d kissed girls, and he’d even had sex with girls. He had to admit, they had their upsides. Their skin was soft, their hair would smell of fruity shampoo, and the feeling of their long nails scratching along his scalp was incomparable to anything else.

Most of what made his time with those girls so bad was that he used them to suppress his sexuality. It was something that had guilted him in the years after high school,  because most of those girls _loved_ him. They’d talk about their future with him after high school, with Jack knowing full well that there would never be one. They would confess everything that had ever felt about him, and he would merely hum along.

He would have to guilt himself more another time, because he currently had _other matters_ to focus on at this very second.

Their kiss ended with Gabriel biting Jack’s lower lip, emitting a small yelp from the man. Gabriel snickered, “Sorry, just wanted to get your attention” He explained. Jack tilted his head in confusion, Gabriel choosing to add onto his statement.

“You seem really out of it is all, just wanted to make sure you were okay with this”

Jack was rather embarrassed, having gotten far too into his own head. “Yeah! I’m okay, I’m just thinking is all” He answered, “Like I said, it’s a big change, it’s a lot to take in.” Gabriel nodded, “I understand, just know it’s totally fine if you think this is moving too fast-“ Jack quickly interrupted him, “No! I’m okay with this uh, current pace.” Jack wanted to kiss his friend once again, but was afraid he’d made things too awkward by this point.

He hadn’t noticed Gabriel’s hand lightly placed on his own, as the man gave him a concerned look. “Alright, but just let me know if you get uncomfortable or anything” Gabriel insisted, Jack quickly nodding along as he prepared to add on something else, but Gabriel had already caught him by the mouth.

The feeling of fireworks had gone off in the pit of his stomach, as if his body was telling him that this was how it was meant to be. Jack attempted to keep up with Gabriel’s rhythm, either falling far behind or becoming too eager. It wasn’t long until he had toppled the pair over, chest to chest with the man below him. Gabriel chuckled, sitting up with his back to the armrest. Jack found himself straddled on the man’s lap, captivated by his grin and contagious laughter.

He wanted things to be this way forever, to make the man he cared so deeply for happy. He wanted to make him laugh, to make him smile, he wanted to make him _his._ But Jack knew that this was merely “casual.” It didn’t feel that way, but it could all change come the next day.  

And so he held onto Gabriel, as if the world was going to take him away at any given moment. He placed a hand on the small of the man’s back, using the other to run a hand through his mahogany hair. It was just as soft as he imagined, wavy with the scent of sandalwood and bergamot shampoo. The feeling of Gabriel’s hand on his abdomen arose that feeling of warmth in his stomach yet again, the other man breaking apart the kiss as Jack stared down into Gabriel’s deep brown eyes.

The way he looked up at him made Jack’s heart flutter, with sparkles in his eyes and a grin plastered on his face. “This shirt is way too tight for you dude” Gabriel commented, sliding a hand under the man’s shirt, causing Jack to shiver. “Did you wear it on purpose?” He asked, Jack flushing with embarrassment and shaking his head. “No, I didn’t really have any other clothes to choose from and I was in a rush” He explained, Gabriel snickering as he admired the blonde, taking his hand out from his shirt. “It’s fine, more than fine” He acknowledged, using a hand to run his fingers through Jack’s hair.

“You’ve changed, but like, in a good way” He continued, “I mean, I hope you don’t take that the wrong way” Gabriel quickly added, Jack shaking his head as he waited for the man to elaborate his thoughts. “You were pretty cool then too, cool enough to be my friend” He teased, “but you were just so _unsure_ of yourself and were really adamant on trying to guard yourself from everyone else.” Jack had to admit, he was right. Despite knowing that he had moved away from the farm for the long haul, he didn’t ever intend on opening up to anyone. He was perfectly fine with isolating himself for however long, but he would eventually become thankful for those that didn’t want him to suffer in that way.

“I guess it was just kind of hard, like even going from Hardinsburg to here was already a big change as far as my personality goes” Jack explained with a sigh, “I was hot shit! Quarterback, popular, _“straight”,_ somewhat attractive if I do say so myself” He exclaimed with confidence, Gabriel giving him a smirk. “But then I was like, a totally different person as soon as I came here” He continued on, feeling Gabriel watch every word leave his mouth. “I was just another sad gay kid who’d torn his country bumpkin family apart” Jack droned on, Gabriel frowning before giving him a nudge. “Hey man, you’re not _that_ country bumpkin, you’re not even southern!” Gabriel teased, Jack rolling his eyes with a laugh.

“I mean, my mom’s from Kentucky so the influences are there” 

“We’re going a bit off topic”

“I agree” 

They both chuckled, “But seriously man, it’s like, fucking amazing seeing you just becoming so confident and so open, y’know.” Jack relished in Gabriel’s praise, but realized he should definitely be giving back as well. “You’ve kinda changed too, I think, maybe just around me but my point stands” Jack pointed out, Gabriel raising an eyebrow in response. “Can you elaborate?” Gabriel asked, Jack quickly nodding as he hummed on. “You seem less like you’re trying to put on a front, I like it when you openly act like a huge dork” Jack teased, wrapping his arms around his shoulders. 

It became more apparent to Jack, that their dynamic had even further blurred the lines between friendship and romance. “I guess that means I trust you, doesn’t it?” Gabriel mentioned, going back to caressing the blonde’s hair. “I hope you do” Jack merely answered.

“How did we get to talking about our personal changes from talking about my shirt?” Jack added, Gabriel initially shrugging but then widening his eyes before laughing. “Fuck dude, I was gonna tell you that one of your changes was you getting way more fit but I got sidetracked” He remembered, Jack stifling a laugh as well. “You were pretty obviously fit before, but you’re way more fit now, it’s kinda hot” Gabriel added on with a purr.

“I have gotten more muscular, haven’t I? And I’m sure I’ll beat you in the fitness department if you don’t get your butt to the gym!” He teased, Gabriel rolling his eyes as he let out a huff. “Come on man, give me a break! I’ve been trying” He defended, Jack poking the man’s stomach with a grin. “I don’t know man, you’re getting a little soft in the tummy” He claimed, Gabriel quickly moving the man’s hand away. 

“Will you be my gym partner?”

“Are you gonna stare at me in the showers?”

“Only if you want me to”

Jack chuckled, Gabriel shooting a grin up at him. “How about we go jogging on Tuesday?” Jack proposed, filling the gap between Gabriel and himself. The man kept a suggestive gaze on the blonde, “If only you stay afterwards” he answered devilishly, immediately captivating the blonde with a glance. It seemed as if he’d forgotten about how shamefully much he’d wanted Gabriel until that moment. He had longed for any mere excuse to press their lips upon one another yet again, and perhaps his excuse would be coming soon.

“What are you suggesting?” Jack asked innocently, Gabriel biting his lip as he gave the blonde a smirk, “I don’t know, do you prefer breakfast before or after your blowjobs?” He had immediately been caught off guard, cheeks blushing as he tried to think of a response.

 _Quick! Something flirty! Something witty! Anything!_  

Jack couldn’t help but let out a small cough before straightening himself out. He had surely ruined any flirtatious banter that they had going on before, but it wouldn’t hurt to try anyways. He tapped his chin, “Hmm, I’d say after…but what do you get in return?” Gabriel shook his head in response, “Don’t need anything.”

He frowned, leaning in closer to the man. “That doesn’t sound very fair” Jack pouted, Gabriel taking ahold of the man’s chin with a laugh. “I don’t mind, I’m more a giver than a taker-“ He stopped dead in his tracks as Jack stifled laughter, Gabriel glowing with embarrassment. “I mean, I’m not wrong! That’s...technically correct” He continued, stumbling on his words.

Jack was the one who had kissed him that time, feeling as though it was far more natural. The goosebumps still came and went, but he was no longer afraid. He wasn’t afraid of screwing up, he wasn’t afraid of what he was doing “wrong”, and he _definitely_ wasn’t afraid of getting his mouth scratched up from the man’s facial hair. He could already feel the tingling sensation on his chin, but the taste of the man’s tongue was too enthralling for him to even care.

Gabriel’s fingers dug into his hair, pulling in a way that emitted a small yelp from the blonde. He snickered at Jack before commenting, “Cute.” Jack stuck his tongue out, before putting his fingertips into the man’s waistband. The tips of their noses were pressed together, “Can I?” was all Jack had asked. He could feel the man’s breathing grow more erratic as he nodded.

Jack wasn’t sure if he was as prepared for this as he liked to have thought. He’d gotten blowjobs from girls in high school, so he had a _general_ idea of what felt good and what didn’t. However, he knew deep down that giving and receiving were in entirely separate ballparks. He shamefully practiced on popsicles as a teenager, but even he knew they wouldn’t compare to the real thing.

He also knew that he _did_ have a gag reflex, and he would have to learn his limits. And hopefully not throw up.

He shuddered at the thought.

He moved back to sit on the man’s calves, pulling down his sweatpants and boxers to his knees in one swift motion. Jack had seen Gabriel half naked from the waist down before, one particular college party where Gabriel collapsed while in the bathroom came to mind. However, this was entirely different. Gabriel was fully erect, his member flushed and throbbing, precum beading at the tip of his cock.

And god was it beautiful.

Jack could feel his cheeks begin to heat up as he stared, mouth slightly agape. “I’m incredibly flattered” Gabriel teased the man, Jack snapped out of his thoughts as he rolled his eyes at his friend. “Do you want me to leave?” He shot back, Gabriel’s eyes quickly widening as he furiously shook his head. “I’ll shut up” He insisted, an almost begging tone in his voice. 

It was almost hot, watching Gabriel put himself under Jack’s command for a mere blowjob. Jack hadn’t even stimulated him in the slightest, he wondered what Gabriel sound like on the verge of cumming, with Jack suddenly just _stopping._  

_Fuck. Focus._

Jack wasted almost no time, sliding down to lie in between Gabriel’s legs. His lips pressed against the tip of Gabriel’s member, letting the saliva run from his mouth and onto his cock. It was almost satisfactory, feeling how the man’s entire body shuddered at the first sense of contact. Jack stared up at the man as he slowly began to take him into his mouth, his tongue gently teasing the tip. He could hear the man mutter obscenities under his breath, and it was like music to his ears.

The taste of him had been rather salty, similar to sweat, but it hadn’t bothered Jack in the slightest, as he attempted to take the man in further. He had hollowed his cheeks, attempting to fit Gabriel’s member in his mouth more comfortably. It was far more difficult that Jack had anticipated, but he knew it was worth it to hear the grunts and moans that Gabriel would occasionally let free. 

As he bobbed his head up, he let his lips leave the head of the man’s cock, Gabriel’s breathing hitched as Jack locked eyes with the man once again. His tongue light rolled down his shaft, before making his way towards the tip once again. It was enthralling to tease the man, to watch him grow impatient as Jack ever so lightly licked the head of his member. Jack sat up, using a finger to lightly trace the area of his dick as Gabriel bit his lip.

“Jack, you _tease”_

The blonde laughed, before leaning down to take his cock into his mouth once again. He had every intention of drawing this out for as long as he could, mercilessly teasing the man so as to make him _beg._ He wanted to be the only thing Gabriel would ever want in that moment, and he would make sure of it. Jack sped up his pace, as his mouth worked its way over Gabriel’s cock, letting his tongue drag down his length.

“I thought…” The man was interrupted by a grunt, his breathing becoming more erratic. “I thought you’d never done anything like this…” He continued, Jack lifting himself from the man’s member with a pop. He couldn’t help but smirk, “Gabe, you know I had girlfriends in high school, you don’t honestly think I have _no_ sex experience, do you?” Gabriel laughed, shaking his head, “I don’t doubt you were drowning in pussy, quarterback, but I didn’t think you’d sucked dick in high school.”  

He stroked the man’s member with a single finger, emitting a shudder from Gabriel. “No, I didn’t, but I’d definitely gotten my dick sucked enough to know what feels good” He explained, Gabriel shrugging followed by a nod.

“I suppose I can believe that, maybe mind the teeth a bit more though”

“Hey man, this is _way_ harder than it looks”

Gabriel raised an eyebrow with a smirk, “Is it?” Jack rolled his eyes, knowing he’d definitely set him up for that one. He chose to ignore him, instead teasing him with his fingers once more, continuing to softly stroke him as the man twitched. Gabriel had to be close by now, his back arching immediately as Jack placed his lips to the tip of his cock. He’d gotten into a rhythm, slowly figuring out what Gabriel seemed to be have enjoyed. “Are you close?” Jack asked

“A little” 

Jack snickered, focusing his tongue on the head as Gabriel started to become more vocal. His mouth slowly took in more, glancing up at Gabriel who was grasping the couch cushions for purchase. As Gabriel seemed closer to orgasm, Jack continued to speed up, his tongue almost aggressively teasing the man’s cock as he felt one of Gabriel’s hands moved to pull on his hair.

He could tell that the heat was beginning to pool in Gabriel’s stomach, that he was on the edge of something brilliant. And so he stopped, pulling back all together as he locked eyes with Gabriel. His pupils were blown, mouth slightly agape as his breathing became more labored. The man looked almost terrified, gripping the couch as he stared back down at the blonde.

“J-Jack…” He muttered, Jack merely forming a sinister grin on his lips in response. “Can you say please?” Jack asked, moving his thumb to tease the tip of his cock before pulling away once again. Gabriel nervously swallowed, sweat building up on his forehead as he answered the man.

“Jack-“

“That’s not a please”

The man was beginning to grow frustrated, Jack merely smiling back as he traced a finger along Gabriel’s thigh. _“Jack”_ He pleaded through gritted teeth, the blonde letting out a sigh as he laughed. “I can do this all day, can you say please?” He asked once again, Jack’s ego inflating as he noticed Gabriel looking almost frightened by him. Gabriel wasn’t giving in, “Are you _kidding_ me dude?”

Jack rolled his eyes, “I could very well just leave you here, to have you sadly finish yourself off.” 

“I’d rather you not” 

“Then say it”

He could tell that Gabriel was beginning to become desperate, and Jack enjoyed dragging it on for as long as he could. “Please” He muttered reluctantly, Jack sighing again as he shook his head. “Say it like you mean it” He requested, placing his mouth on the side of his shaft, lightly kissing down the length. Gabriel let out a groan, _“Please”_  He asked as Jack merely hummed along, stopping again much to the displeasure of Gabriel.

“Can you say it like you mean it?”

“Jack I swear to god-“

Jack began softly stroking his cock once again, almost mercilessly. He knew Gabriel couldn’t keep his pride for much longer, watching as the man’s whole body began to twitch in growing agony. “I have all the time in the world, you know” He claimed, Gabriel biting down on his lip, finally giving in as Jack’s strokes gained momentum.

In that moment, Jack had felt a sense of empowerment. He had done this before with countless girls in high school, but none of them were Gabriel Reyes. The man had talked a big game about himself, how he could make men _scream_ with a mere touch, how he would leave them _begging._ To have Gabriel like putty in his hands was wonderful, but having him beg for _him_ would be the cherry on top. 

“Fuck dude, _fine! Please!”_ He pleaded, and as Jack hollowed his cheeks to practically swallow the full length of the man into his mouth, Gabriel grabbed onto his hair as he let out a chorus of grunts and moans. It hadn’t been much longer before Jack had felt a pool of cum drip down the back of his throat, tasting rather salty and unpleasant. There was no chance of the ability to spit, merely swallowing as he lifted himself up to stare at the sweaty man in front of him.

Gabriel heaved out a heavy sigh, staring up at the ceiling as Jack scooted forward towards him. “You okay?” He asked innocently, Gabriel quietly nodding as he ran a hand through his tousled hair. Jack was almost in amazement at how beautiful he was, but he was _always_ staring in amazement when it came to Gabriel. His cheeks were flushed a bright shade of pink, body practically glistening as Jack stared on.  

“You at least could’ve _told_ me you were into that stuff, I probably just woke up my neighbors”

Jack hummed as he laid on the man’s chest, “Wanted to surprise you, but I guess I’ll have to gag you next time.” Gabriel had been caught off guard by that statement, but let out an exasperated laugh. “You’re..really, something else, Morrison” He acknowledged with a smirk, Jack blushing from the man’s suggested praise. He didn’t want the moment to end, having a sweaty half naked Gabriel Reyes underneath of him, praising him.

Gabriel wrapped an arm around his back, breathing heavily as the two laid in silence. “I guess I really owe you one, don’t I?” Gabriel said with a smirk, Jack laughing as he nuzzled up against him. He wasn’t sure how he had gotten so lucky, to have a beautiful best friend that he was allowed to kiss and hold. Perhaps it wasn’t the most normal type of friends with benefits, but that was exactly how Jack liked it.

There wasn’t any other way he would prefer it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As much as I love current Gabe and Jack, I’m so excited to expand upon their weird past relationship in the upcoming flashback chapters! I hope you guys liked this too, and be prepared for longer chapters as we delve further into this story! Thank you


	13. Chapter 13

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy Thanksgiving my darlings! This is a rather short, semi uneventful chapter if I do say so myself tbh. With how long the past like, three chapters has been I figured I could afford to slow down a tiny bit. The next chapter will be some of the same, but chapter 15 onwards is when shit will start to get loooooong. I hope you guys enjoy this anyways, also ashe is in this chapter lmao.
> 
> she doesn’t rly play much of a role in this fic because y’know, wasn’t anticipating her lmao but i wanted her to make some appearances tho because i love her!!!!!!!

October had made it’s way to chilly Seattle, bringing along the downpour of rain summer had been lacking. He could hear as it pounded against the window, the only thing competing with the sound being the bass from the shop’s radio below. Jack had been given a day off from his boss at The Point, noting that he’d picked up almost every shift from anyone who was out that week. He had always been one to remain humble, but god damn did he deserve a _break._

He’d stretched out on the couch, scrolling through his phone as he let out a yawn. It had been almost three months since Jack’s apartment had burned down and he hadn’t even had a _chance_ to look at places for rent. He knew for a fact that Seattle wasn’t in the question, it was far too expensive and Jack wasn’t even sure if he _wanted_ to stay on the west coast. Jack had just wanted to start over again, somewhere new without the drama of college friends and ex-boyfriends.

Jack had scrolled through Zillow for about twenty minutes, looking at houses from Georgia to Minnesota. He was still heavily considering Bloomington, but was unsure if it would be far too close to his parents for comfort. Perhaps he could live near his grandparents in Kentucky? Last he had heard, his grandfather was suffering with dementia with his grandmother dutifully catering to his every need.

His relationship with his grandparents had never been bad, despite their strong distaste for his father. They would send him small Christmas and birthday gifts every year, but he hadn’t met them in person until he was 21. They were nice enough, seemingly tolerating Jack’s sexuality by not mentioning it. He had always figured that was only because it pissed off his dad so much. Jack was alright with that, however. At least they were interested in a relationship with him at all, seeing as though he was “half John.”

In his thoughts, he’d barely noticed that the sound of bass from the shop had stopped. He also hadn’t noticed the thumping coming from the stairwell, until the door swung open. Jack glanced up from his phone towards the door frame, watching as Gabriel trudged through. “Oh, hey” Jack greeted, Gabriel giving him a wave in return. The man sauntered over towards the living space, falling down on the armchair with a groan.

“Rough day?”

“Not so much rough, but busy as fuck”

“Well hey, means more money for you”

Gabriel laughed, leaning back into the chair. “I guess you’re right in that department, but good god I still wish McCree and Genji wouldn’t try their hardest to annoy the shit out of me” He complained with a huff, Jack raising an eyebrow in response. Gabriel had gotten up from his chair, sauntering over to the fridge to grab a bottle of water. “You know how I told you I banned them from having any control of the music because they had a trap remix of the National Anthem looping for three hours on the 4th of July?” Gabriel asked, Jack shrugging but eventually nodding as he turned to look at the man.

“Well, today Moira was in and they paid her $20 to play what they wanted so they just kept playing Spooky Scary Skeletons and Monster Mash over and over again at full blast”

“Moira was in? Did you ever find out if she actually sleeps or not?”

“She told me not to worry about it”

Moira had almost become an enigma ever since Jack had first met her that fateful day in the shop. He had heard of her plenty of times after that, but had never seen her. Gabriel had later explained that she was doing a residency at the hospital, taking up sorting through the shop’s online orders as a second job. Most of her work was done on the internet on her own time, which was mostly at night. Apparently she would sometimes come in on her one day off for a couple hours.

Jack still wasn’t sure how she could manage an 80 hour work week along with a second job. However, according to Gabriel, she did it well.

“So halloween music, huh? I didn’t think you’d mind that” Jack pondered, Gabriel shrugging as he took a sip from his water. “I normally wouldn’t if it wasn’t the same two songs playing over and over again” He answered, Jack stifling a laugh as Gabriel groaned.

“Halloween also signifies that my birthday is coming up, and I’m diving deeper into my 30s” He explained, strolling back over towards the living area to fall back into the recliner.

“Your birthday _is_ Halloween though, you would always tell me you were born at 9:53 PM with your parents dressed as Sean Penn and Madonna”

Gabriel couldn’t help but let out a snort, Jack barely holding back laughter as he remembered the photo Gabriel had shown him of that moment years ago. “So what do you wanna do for Halloween? And also your birthday?” Jack casually asked, Gabriel shrugging as he pondered on it. “I don’t know, maybe I’ll get everyone together and do something” He suggested, Jack smiling with a nod.

“I’m sure they’d enjoy that, who are you inviting? Callum? Amélie? Gérard? Guys from the store?”

“You’re forgetting someone”

Jack tilted his head in confusion as Gabriel rolled his eyes with a sigh. “Dude, I’m talking about _you,_ we’re friends right? Of course you’d be invited” He responded, sounded exasperated at the man’s cluelessness. Jack had grown rather embarrassed, avoiding eye contact as he quickly waved off the man. “Well uh, _duh,_ I was totally gonna say me but you didn’t let me finish” He quickly replied, Gabriel being able to see right through his lie.

“Alright, sure” He teased, Jack sticking his tongue out at the man’s sarcastic answer. Before they could chat any longer, Gabriel had to get ready for his valet shift at 7. This would leave Jack almost the entire night to himself, unless Callum came over. Callum had practically become a third roommate, leaving Jack to avoid being in the same room as the couple for long periods of time.

Jack liked Callum, he was nice. He wasn’t too loud when getting ready in the mornings, he cleaned up after himself if he ever made a mess, and he didn’t seem to have any issues with Jack being around. However, it was almost like he tried _too_ hard to be nice to him. If Jack ever dropped a glass on the floor, Callum would be the first to offer to clean it up. If Jack ever lost something, Callum would immediately be on the hunt to find it.

He’d mentioned this to Brigitte, who had suggested that perhaps Callum was looking to gain his approval. He had told her that was ridiculous, but he had been wondering more and more recently. He wasn’t sure _why_ Callum would want Jack’s approval, but he would need to look into it later.

For now, he needed to catch up on his reality TV shows on Gabriel’s 4k flat screen.

-

As expected, Callum had returned at 9 PM. He had grocery bags hanging from both arms as he stumbled in, Jack turning around to look at the man before standing up to assist him. “Hey, need any help?” He offered, Callum shaking his head as scurried over towards the kitchen. “I’m alright, don’t worry about it” He insisted, brushing his strawberry blonde hair away from his eyes. Jack made his way towards the man anyway, taking one bag and placing it on the counter.

Callum smiled over at him, “Thank you.” Jack grinned in return, helping the man unpack the groceries. “How was your day?” Jack asked kindly, the man letting out an exhausted sigh. “Busy! I had my internship shift, an overtime work shift, _and_ three tests in school all in one day!” He exclaimed, Jack quickly stopping his sentence once he had heard the word school.

“Are you still in college?” He asked, Callum immediately perking up with a nod. “Oh, yeah! I forgot I hadn’t mentioned it to you, but I’m working on my PhD at the moment” Callum explained, Jack trying to hide a sigh of relief. For a moment he was worried Gabriel had gotten himself involved with a high schooler, or a very young college student. “PhD? That’s pretty cool, what are you studying?” He asked, continuing to pack away the groceries as he noticed the box of Apple Jacks in the bag, Jack’s favorite.

“Engineering, I’m going to Elliott Bay, I transferred for my last year of my Master’s degree from UPenn so I’m just starting my PhD this year”

“Elliott Bay, huh? I went there too”

The ginger man had lit up in excitement, “Really?! Oh, I should know that shouldn’t I? You met Gabriel in college, right?” Jack chuckled as he nodded, “Yeah, I was a freshman and he was a senior.”

“What did you study? I know Gabriel got a Bachelor’s in Graphic Design” Callum asked politely, grinning with his hands on his hips as they finished unpacking their groceries. Jack pursed his lips as he smiled back, “Criminal Justice, I finished my Bachelor’s back in 2012.”

The man looked amazed, “Wow, Criminal Justice, do you wanna be a police officer?”

“Detective, don’t really know when I wanna start, perhaps when I settle down somewhere”

Callum looked almost sad, making Jack feel almost uneasy. “You don’t wanna live in Seattle?” He asked, Jack biting his lip as he shook his head. “I never really intended to live in Seattle, I came merely for school and planned to find my way somewhere else” He explained, “But I guess it didn’t work out that way.”

“I understand, but other than that I think you’d be a great detective!”

“Thank you”

They stood awkwardly in silence, unsure of what to say next. Jack probably should’ve told him to keep quiet about his move, but he had forgotten once Callum had spoken up once again. “I was initially going to ask you this earlier but got distracted…” He mumbled, Jack raising an eyebrow as he awaited further explanation.

“So with Gabriel’s birthday coming up, do you have any idea on what I should get him?”

Jack was almost stunned by the question, as he searched in his brain for an answer. It was a little uncomfortable, having his ex’s current boyfriend ask him for advice pertaining to said ex. If Callum was an asshole, Jack would’ve refused to answer. However, Callum was nice enough, but he’d still need to think on it.

“I’m not totally sure at this second, but I’ll think about it tonight”

Callum grinned with a nod, “Thank you Jack!”

The man had eventually skipped off to Gabriel’s room, Jack leaning up against the counter with a sigh. Gabriel’s birthday, he had _just_ spoken about it with the man himself not even two hours before. However, it still made him uneasy. Was he supposed to buy something for the man? They were supposedly “friends” but he still had no idea if it would be appropriate. If he spent too much, it would seem weird. However, if he spent too little, it would seem unthoughtful.

He couldn’t win either way, but he would just have to ponder on the thought.

~

Jack had woken up the next morning with rain pattering against the window pane once again. He let out a yawn along with a stretch as he sat up. However, once he’d noticed he’d woken up half an hour late, his leisurely disposition quickly turned to panic. He’d had no time to shower, merely throwing on his clothes and spraying dry shampoo in his hair. He brushed his teeth and put on deodorant before quickly rushing downstairs towards the shop.

However, once all eyes set upon him as he entered the sales floor, he’d stopped dead in his tracks. There was a new girl, leaning against the counter as she chatted to Jesse. Her hair was a shade of blonde that appeared almost white, and her eyes shone almost a crimson shade. “Well, well, who is this?” She asked, a southerly drawl apparent in her voice.

“Oh! That’s Jack” Jesse exclaimed before anyone else could speak up. Jack put on a sheepish smile, waving at the unnamed woman. He slowly approached the two at the counter, feeling a set of eyes burn a hole in his back.

A few sets of eyes, actually.

“Jack, nice to meet you…” She drawled, a sly smirk plastered on her face. “I’m Ashe” The woman added, Jesse grinning ear to ear as he set his eyes on Jack. “We’re friends from college, she works next door at the gun shop” He explained, Jack almost immediately being caught off guard.

“There’s a gun shop next door?”

Ashe couldn’t help but snicker, Jack growing slightly embarrassed as he shoved his hands into his pockets. “Aw, I wouldn’t know either if it wasn’t for her, they’re kinda discreet over there” He comforted, Jack giving a rather forced smile in response. “Well, shop opens in ‘bout ten minutes so I gotta run” The white haired woman claimed, “A pleasure meeting you, Jack.”

Jack was almost scared of her, her crimson lips giving the two a sly smirk as she turned her attention towards Jesse once again. “Try not to do anything stupid, McCree” She teased before exiting the store. He wasn’t sure what to think, but it would be an issue for him to worry about another time. “I gotta run too, I’m kinda late” Jack claimed as well, ready to make his way out as well before being stopped by Jesse.

“Wait” The man managed to choke out, Jack turning back with a raised eyebrow. Jesse twiddled his thumbs, a blush arising over his cheeks as glanced up at the man. “You wouldn’t wanna...uh..” He started, stopping in his tracks as he fumbled on his words. “You wouldn’t wanna get drinks or somethin’ sometime, wouldya?” He continued, Jack letting out a small laugh with a smile.

He would’ve say no under any circumstance, but he was currently living with his ex-boyfriend and his ex’s new boyfriend. Jack could definitely afford to get out a bit more, and perhaps he could afford to get to know the man a bit better. “I could get behind that idea” Jack merely stated, Jesse’s eyes immediately widening as a grin formed on his lips.

“Then it's a date! I mean, it’s a uh…it’s drinks?”

He laughed, waving goodbye to Jesse as he pushed himself through the doors, doing his best to ignore Hanzo’s harsh glares through the window.

Normally, Jack would’ve _never_ considered a date with a man four years his junior. He’d always drifted towards men at least two years older than him, but it couldn’t hurt to try something new. As he drove to work, all he could seem to think about was this unscheduled date, and the realization that he had been feeling suffocated by Gabriel and Callum.

His friends had commended him for being able to last this long, and Jack had even patted himself on the back as well. Every single morning had been filled with kisses and flirting from the two, constantly leaving Jack to quietly grumble as he attempted to ignore them as he’d get his coffee. So even if Jesse wasn’t his soulmate, he was proud of himself for even trying to get out there again.

And who knows? Maybe Jesse would be the one for him, and he’d been looking in the wrong places the entire time. Only time would tell.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you guys have an awesome day and thank you for reading!!!!!


	14. Chapter 14

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hey y'all! good morning/evening and happy december! this chapter is a bit of cute kitten fluff/jack being jack
> 
> i dont have a whole lot to say here except enjoy and i love you all!

Jack was almost always the one to wake up first. It had come from his years on the farm, his dad had demanded be up and ready by 4:30. If he was even a minute late, his dad would force him to clean out the horse stable that day. The scent of urine-saturated equestrian bedding was one to haunt him to this day. On a normal day however, Jack was usually in charge of the chickens and gardening. He would need to feed the chickens and give them water in the mornings, as well as collect any eggs that had been laid. 

He would also need to harvest, weed, and water any plants before 6:30 that morning, on a weekend he would need to plant new plants as well.

However, that had been 15 years ago. Jack was no longer living on the farm, he was in a townhome in Seattle. Most mornings were spent alone, sipping on a black coffee with two spoons of sugar. He’d only really cross Gabriel and Callum if he’d decided to sleep in that morning, but judging from the sounds of hustling and running coming from the floor below, it wouldn’t be like that today. 

His phone alarm hadn’t even gone off, it had to have been quite early. As he grabbed his phone from the end table, he squinted at the sight of the sudden brightness. Jack let out a yawn, rubbing his eyes before focusing in on the time. 

_ 4:53 AM _

He groaned, almost instantly deciding to get out of bed to check what all of the commotion had been about. His feet had practically tripped over themselves, the man stumbling out of the room and down the stairs. Just as soon as he opened the door, he could begin to hear the frantic panicking from Gabriel and Callum.

_ Jesus christ, Callum, how much longer is it gonna take?! _

_ The water has to boil, don’t shout at me! _

_ Sorry, I’m freaking out! _

Jack couldn’t help but begin to wonder, making his way further downstairs as the two made their way into his sight. Despite the already concerning fact that they were up so early, something smelled off as well. Oh god, were they making drugs? Was that why Gabriel was freaking out? Jack had really hoped they weren’t all about to get murdered by someone working further up the drug chain. He hadn’t even considered that it had made absolutely no sense for Gabriel and Callum to be involved in the drug business, and what drug needed water to boil? 

Jack was very clearly exhausted. 

Once Gabriel had set his eyes on him, he looked almost apologetic. “Oh shit, hey Jack, did we wake you up?” He immediately asked, the blonde shrugging as he continued his way down the staircase. What was waiting on the couch had made it rather obvious why they were so frantic, two of the smallest kittens he had ever seen in his life curled up on a heating pad. Gabriel’s eyes had set on the pair as well, letting out a half laugh. “Heh, yeah…” was all he could mutter out. 

Jack had quickly moved towards the couch, sitting on his knees in front of the heating pad. “Where did you find them?!” He asked, “Callum was on his way to drive his parent’s to the airport, and found them curled up near the steps out front” Gabriel explained.

“And yeah, speaking of my parents, I need to leave, like... _ now”  _ Callum quickly shot, Gabriel groaning at the man’s response. “Alright fine! Go! Jack can make it!” He claimed, Jack quickly looking back in surprise. 

“What? What am I making?”

“Emergency kitten formula”

“I have no idea how to make that”

Callum had stopped his process, showing Jack the recipe as he sped off, leaving Jack to awkwardly stand over the pot of a thin layer water. Apparently that weird smell was the burner being turned on after a minimal amount of usage. According to Callum, he would need to add the evaporated milk and bone meal after the water has been boiled. He would also need to wait for the mixture to be warm instead of hot before feeding.

He wanted to know why Callum had bone meal, but he was out the door before he could ask. Jack let out a sigh, glancing over towards Gabriel who had been quietly cooing at the pair. He’d always known Gabriel was an animal lover, but he’d thought it had been solely for dogs. “Are you planning on keeping them?” Jack asked, Gabriel being taken out of an adoring trance as he quickly turned his head towards Jack.

“Maybe, is that okay with you?”

Jack was slightly taken aback at the answer, unsure as to why Gabriel would ask him for permission. “Um, I mean...yeah? It’s your house, man” He answered, the other man shrugging in answer. “Just wanted to make sure you weren’t allergic or something” Gabriel defended, moving to cup the black kitten in the palms of his hands. “I’ll name you Reaper, because you’re an October kitty!” He continued to gush, Jack moving towards the couch as he waited for the water to boil.

“What’s the name of the other one?” The blonde asked, his eyes moving down towards the white kitten. “And are they boys or girls or one of each?”

“Both boys, I think…and I haven’t decided on a name yet”

The white kitten was far more beat up compared to the black one, with almost fresh scars on its face, ears that looked as if they had burnt, and a heavily infected eye. “I think the white one needs to go to a vet, I mean they both do, but still” Jack suggested, Gabriel quickly nodding in response. “I’m taking them as soon as the vet’s office opens at 8, and speaking of which…” He trailed off, giving Jack very faint puppy dog eyes. 

“What? What do you want?”

“Are you working today?”

“Um, not til tonight”

He could tell Gabriel wanted something from him, letting the man speak up for his plea. “Would you watch the store for a few hours until I get back from the vet? I’ll pay you” Gabriel offered, “You really don’t have to do much just make sure no one’s doing anything dumb.” As much as he would prefer to not be babysitting four or so adults, he would much more prefer to have a bit extra money. And so he agreed, settling for only two extra hours of sleep after he finished the formula. 

Gabriel trusted him enough to act as a manager for a few hours, that was improvement, wasn’t it? He’d also asked him if he was alright with keeping the kittens. They were rather small things, but they  _ had  _ to mean something. Even in the event that they didn’t become “best buddies” again, Jack could always just move hundreds of miles away and forget his past entirely. 

It  _ still  _ didn’t sound like an awful idea.

~

Jack had walked down to the store with Gabriel at around 8 AM, the other man carrying a cushioned basket with the tiny kittens inside. “You really don’t need to do much, just make sure Jesse is paying attention to customers and not doing anything stupid” Gabriel explained, Jack raising an eyebrow as he slowly nodded. “Only Jesse?” He asked, Gabriel snorting in response.

“Jesse is really the only one you need to worry about but keep an eye on everyone else too, I suppose” He continued, “Any questions?”

Jack shook his head as Gabriel grinned at him. “Good luck, I’ll be back around 10” He said before exiting through the glass door, leaving Jack to let out a sigh as he stood alone. He wasn’t sure what to do next, choosing to merely lean against a wall and wait for employees to roll in. Hanzo and Genji were the first to arrive, both giving him a confused stare as they entered. 

“I’m just watching the store for a few hours while Gabriel’s out” Jack quickly explained, Genji accepting his answer before heading to put his stuff away. Hanzo, however, lingered slightly longer. Words weren’t exchanged however, just chilly glances that only made Jack feel guiltier. He’d texted Jesse a few times since being asked on the date, trading flirty remarks in the late hours of night. Jack had told himself constantly to not worry about Hanzo’s crush, but he was such an empath that it was nearly impossible to ignore. 

And when Jesse entered the store next, it would only become worse. 

“Mornin’!” The man declared as he entered, shooting a grin before setting his hickory brown eyes on the blonde. “Why, it must be my lucky day!” He declared, motioning towards Jack. “I hate to sound ungrateful, but what are you doing here?” Jesse asked politely, Jack almost squirming with a smile.

“Gabriel and Callum are going to be out for the next few hours, so I’m sort of watching the store” Jack stated once again, Jesse’s smile growing wider as he nodded. “Gotcha, I’ll try to be on my best behavior” He said with a wink, Jack giving a half-hearted smirk in return. Everyone was beginning to set up their post, with only one face missing. 

“Jack” A voice said through gritted teeth, Jack whipping around to look towards Hanzo. He raised an eyebrow, Hanzo letting out a cough. “I just got a text from Amélie, she said she will be a little late today” He explained, Jack giving him a thumbs up in return. “No problem, what does she normally do? I can take over that until she gets here” Jack answered, McCree diverting attention towards himself as he answered.

“She does a bit of everything, but normally when we ain’t busy she keeps the place lookin’ nice” 

“Sounds easy enough I suppose” 

Hanzo had given a sharp glare towards Jesse, but eventually turned back around to continue on with his work. Jack wasn’t sure what to expect from the next few hours, becoming slightly discomforted by being in the same room as both Jesse and Hanzo. There was something deeper there than a mere crush, there  _ had  _ to be. Although to be fair, they were both young. At that age, Jack would’ve clawed the eyes out of any twink who merely  _ looked  _ at his significant other. 

Jack really hoped Hanzo wouldn’t claw his eyes out.

~

Callum and Amélie had arrived at around the same time, 9:06 AM. She had initially given him a scowl, but seemed to have reduced that to a glare once Genji explained the situation. Callum however, beamed over at him as he approached. “Morning, Jack!” He said gleefully, Jack giving him a soft smile in return. “Hey Callum, how was the airport?” He asked, the other man letting out a sigh. 

“Busy! My parents found out their flight wasn’t until 10 AM so I had to sit at their house for like 3 hours, and then traffic was terrible too” 

Jack gave him a sympathetic frown, “Sorry dude, airports suck.” Callum however, quickly waved off his empathy along with a smile. “It’s no issue really, just glad I have today off” He answered, Jack nodding along with him. 

He had then remembered what Callum had asked him a few nights before, about Gabriel’s birthday. Jack had almost forgotten that the man’s birthday was coming up that Wednesday. He still hadn’t decided if getting a gift for Gabriel would be appropriate or not, but whatever it was, it would need to be rather cheap and easy. 

“So you know how you asked me about Gabriel’s birthday present?” Jack mentioned in a hushed tone, Callum eagerly nodding. “Do you have any ideas?” He asked excitedly, trying his best to whisper. “It depends, is Gabriel still into musicals and how much are you willing to spend?” He questioned, Callum fiddling with his fingers as he gave a rather sly smile. “Money isn’t really an issue” He merely stated in return.

_ Must be nice.  _

“Take him out for dinner and a show sometime, I’m sure he’d wanna spend time with you more than anything” He suggested, Callum looking as though a wave of relief had washed over him. “I hadn’t thought of that!” He exclaimed, excitedly pulling Jack in for a tight hug. However, he quickly let him go in terror.

“Oh god, sorry! That was really weird” 

Jack couldn’t help but chuckle, “It’s fine dude, drunk girls do it to me all the time at bars when I tell them they dropped their keys.” Callum softly smiled at him, “Well thanks for helping meanyway, you easily could’ve just told me to fuck off since I’m dating your ex but you didn’t! I mean I know it sounds like a low bar but it really does mean a lot.” 

“No problem man, but think of it more as…a friend helping out his friend’s boyfriend” Jack suggested, the other man nodding with a grin. “No problem! Thank you again!” Callum said, “I’ll see you later, Jack!” Callum had practically skipped up the stairs, he must’ve really been stumped about what to get Gabriel. 

Jack had mostly been focused on making nice with Gabriel, but perhaps it wouldn’t be such a bad idea to maybe get to know Callum? All he’d really known is that he was an Irish-American from Rochester and the fact that he was very Catholic. And judging from that fated lunch not even a month before, they probably had a few things in common. Although he truthfully doubted that Callum was a sports fanatic, maybe he enjoyed gardening as well? Perhaps he enjoyed dark, cold mornings compared to humid, warm nights? 

And then it hit him.

Jack didn’t  _ actually  _ hate this living situation as much as he let on. Sure, Jack had his tough days but it felt rejuvenating to be able to put the past behind him without completely cutting everyone off. He’d always thought he and Gabriel could never coexist without completely tearing each other apart, but maybe that wasn’t the case? Maybe it was actually possible for both of them to be adults and move past their problems from years before. 

Perhaps even after Jack moved out, they’d remain Facebook friends and sometimes give a like to each other’s posts. Maybe they’d wish the other a happy birthday on their Facebook wall, as distant friends do. They could be the perfectly well-adjusted adult friends, just like Jack wanted. 

He wanted nothing else but that. 

~

“Okay, so if you could be like...any military person, who would you be? I’d totally be a ninja...or like a cyborg ninja! Like a ninja who’s part robot-“

“We understood that part”

Jack whipped his head over towards the cash register, where Amélie, Genji, and McCree chatted. Amélie was scrolling through her phone as she leaned against the counter, with Genji and Jesse looking far more immersed in the conversation than her.

McCree formed a grin on his lips, “I’d totally be a cowboy!” Amélie however, let out a scowl. “Neither of those things are related to the military in any way, except the fact that you  _ might  _ manage to hit something if your three combined brain cells can get that far” She shot, Genji sticking his tongue at her. Jack slowly approached the register, catching McCree’s eye who waved him over. 

“Okay Amélie, what would  _ you  _ be then?” Genji spat in return to the Frenchwoman. She lightly huffed with a smirk, “Sniper of course, that’s one shot, one kill.” Jack had moved to stand next to Jesse, who had raised an eyebrow at Amélie. “Didn’t take you for a gun shooter, you shot anything before?” He asked, Amélie nodding in response as she glanced over her phone once again. “I used to go hunting with my father when I was young, and I suppose I’ve always had an admiration for snipers, especially The White Death” She added, sounding almost uninterested.

“What is The White Death?” Genji asked. Amélie had nothing to say in return except, “Google it.” He sighed before turning his attention towards Jack, “What about you, Jack?” He flushed at being put on the spot, “Uh, I think...maybe just a regular army soldier? It sounds pretty cool, or maybe like a medic tied in with a frontline soldier?”

Amélie yet again let out another loud sigh, “How would that even work? Magical medicine? Just drop something and  _ boom,  _ you’re fixed? Sounds ridiculous.” Jack would’ve been tired of Amélie being a frigid bitch by now if he hadn’t known her any better. Word had also gotten out that Gérard had gone on a date with someone about a week prior, so that likely had something to do with it.

“Hanzo?” Jesse called out, the smaller Japanese man glancing over his shoulder from his continuous organizing. He said nothing, but still letting Jesse know he’d been heard. “What would you be?” He asked, Hanzo shrugging before turning back around. “I probably wouldn’t join the military in the first place” He muttered, Genji huffing in response. “Okay but what if you like,  _ had  _ to join the military? What would you be then?”

“Do I have to wield a gun?” 

“I guess not if I’m a cyborg ninja in this rhetorical scenario” 

Jack could tell Hanzo was actually thinking about it, tapping his chin. “I doubt I would be able to enter the military if I could not shoot, so it seems a bit redundant to speculate” Hanzo answered, Genji letting out a groan at his stubborn brother. “Come on! You’re a good shot in archery! You could totally do that” The man’s brother insisted, Hanzo just quickly turning back around to pretend to organize. “Archery? That sounds pretty cool” Jack attempted to compliment, but it had become obvious Hanzo was disinterested in the conversation.

Genji had walked over towards the man to tease him, with Amélie having wandered off a few minutes prior. It had left him alone with Jesse who had a lingering smirk plastered on his face, Jack holding a smile in response. “So what’s boss been doin’?” Jesse asked, Jack looking confused for a moment before realizing who he had been referring to. “Oh! Callum actually found a pair of kittens last night so Gabriel is taking them to the animal hospital to get them checked out” He explained, the brunette’s facial expression changing from curious to an amazed confusion. 

“He keeping ‘em?”

“Yep”

“Didn’t really think Gabriel was an animal person, but to be fair he ain’t quite vocal about his life outside of the shop” 

That sounded like the Gabriel he’d always known, keeping work and home entirely separate. However, had no one ever caught him watching dumb cat videos? Not even once? When they were together, Gabriel would drone on about how when they bought a house together, they would have four dogs and two cats. Jack was still surprised by the fact Gabriel had no pets, especially since he actually had his own home now. It was none of Jack’s business though, so he merely gave Jesse a shrug with an exaggerated smile.

“He must be rather private still. I know he used to complain about his old apartment not being pet-friendly though, but I’m not sure how he feels about animals now” He explained, Jesse tapping his chin as he nodded. “I’d almost forgotten you were his ex if ‘m being honest” Jesse explained, Jack laughing along with the man. “I like to consider us more as friends or roommates instead, almost like a fresh start if that makes sense” Jack elaborated. As unsure as Jack was about his feelings for Jesse, he had to admit it was nice to have someone actually  _ listen  _ to him for once. 

With the girls, he felt as though he was consistently ignored. Gabriel and Callum were always too indulged in each other to even hear him if he tried to speak. Gérard would at least attempt, but no matter what conversations would always end up about Amélie. 

Jack’s own  _ mother _ wouldn’t even listen to his concerns about the possibility of him having depression or anxiety, merely waving it off as “stress from the house fire.” However, the fire was months ago, and Jack had been feeling this way for a  _ long  _ time before. He couldn’t say she didn’t try though, she just wasn’t sure what to say really. 

So even if Jesse wasn’t his soulmate, he could at least seek out a friend in the man. “So how long are you stayin’ at Gabriel’s? Lookin’ for a place in Seattle?” Jesse asked, Jack just shrugging yet again. “Not sure, but I think I might move out a bit eastward” He explained, Jesse nodding with a slight frown.

“How east? Like New York east or Bellevue east?” He asked, Jack barely noticing the sound of the bell that signaled an entrance. “More like Indiana east, or maybe Minnesota? Not sure yet” He confessed, Jesse’s frown only beginning to grow. “Damn, it’ll suck not havin’ you here, you always tend to make a room a bit brighter” He flirted, Jack immediately flushing as he attempted to flirt back. “Oh..uh, well why don’t we schedule that date soon while I’m still here?” He quickly answered, the words spilling out of his mouth.

“Wait,  _ you  _ two are going on a date?” 

Jack quickly whipped around with a slight jump, frightened by the sudden voice. Gabriel stood there, an eyebrow raised with a slight smirk. He had a pet carrier in hand, Jack figuring he had bought one at the animal hospital or Pet-Smart. The kittens were beginning to meow, as Jack’s face turned paper white.

“Jesus dude, how long have you been standing there?!” He asked, both Gabriel and Jesse chuckling lightly at Jack’s scare. “Few seconds, didn’t wanna interrupt” Gabriel explained, Jack quickly becoming embarrassed as he attempted to look for a response. Instead, he turned back to McCree with a smile. “I suppose I should get going” He claimed, Jesse nodding as he gave the blonde a grin.

“I’ll text you later”

“Yeah” 

He attempted to not practically dart towards the door that led to the staircase, Gabriel following behind as he badly held in a snort. He refused to speak until they were closed away from the shop completely, breezing up the stairs until he had reached the entrance to the common area. “Dude you’re being  _ way  _ too dramatic” Gabriel teased, Jack swinging the door open and immediately speeding towards the couch before practically falling onto the cushions. 

Gabriel had opened the carrier and placed the kittens on their heating pad on the floor. Afterwards, he sat himself in the armchair before chuckling. Jack could only groan, “Don’t make fun of me, please” he requested. The man slowed his laughter before sighing, “It’s really not that big of deal, I just feel like I should tell you the situation with Hanzo.” 

“That Hanzo likes Jesse? Yeah, I know”

“Bit more complicated than that”

He knew it could only get worse, just letting out another loud groan as he turned to bury his face into the couch pillow. “What? Are they secretly in an open relationship where Hanzo acts like he’s cool with it but he’s secretly not cool with it and is like, super jealous?” He asked, Gabriel immediately looking confused as he shook his head. “No, where did you get that?” The man questioned, Jack just muttering under his breath.

“Relationship forums…”

“Relationship forums? Why are you on relationship forums?” Gabriel continued, Jack turning back over to roll his eyes at the man. “They’re good reads, hop off my dick” He shot, only making Gabriel laugh further. “Alright, but do you actually wanna know?” He offered, Jack just nodding as he stared up at the ceiling. 

“So it started like two years ago when Hanzo first got hired” Gabriel started, “Genji was 17 and had been working part time after school for about a year at that point, and then on the weekends.” Jack listened on as Gabriel leaned back in his chair, “I was looking to hire someone, and Genji suggested his brother that had just moved from Japan. Initially I was worried about a language barrier, but he spoke perfect english and seemed very professional.” 

“And of course, McCree was smitten the moment he met him. He was constantly trying to make a move, I’d practically have to whap him with a newspaper like a dog just so he would pay attention to his job instead of flirting. In retrospect, I probably should’ve done something about this at the time but Hanzo was a really diligent worker and Jesse was actually a great asset to the shop” He continued, letting out a sigh.

“The rest is just what Hanzo told me, because one day he came into work and asked to speak to me alone. He requested that he be fired, and I asked why. He claimed that he was a distraction for Jesse and didn’t want to complicate things at work. Apparently something had happened the night before, I guess Jesse stayed after to help him restock since we got some late shipments. I guess they kissed or something, I kinda just waved it off and told him it was no big deal but I guess Hanzo kinda ignored him after that but I can tell he still likes him.” 

It sounded like it was right out of a slice of life romantic comedy. The cast was full of bold and wacky personalities, with the protagonist being rather shy and held back. Part of their story involves inner turmoil from a situation prior to their fated meeting with the equally charismatic and attractive love interest. The protagonist is almost reluctant, but eventually falls for the charms of the love interest. Sometimes, the protagonist will deny their feelings in fear of being inadequate to their love interest. 

It should be perfect, their love interest likes them! They like their love interest! However, something stands in their way. It hurts but the protagonist must say that they cannot be together. So they move on, but they really don’t. 

Enter the villain, the villain the audience hates despite never doing anything particularly wrong. The villain becomes involved with the love interest, and makes the heart broken protagonist finally realize their true feelings! The villain is of course, left in the dust.

That was Jack, the villain. He was the person to come before the soulmate,  _ again.  _ Could he just, not be happy? He could only let out a groan, pulling his hands up to his face. “God, I’m a fucking idiot!” He exclaimed, “Why does this happen every time? I need to cancel-“ 

“Jesus, calm down” Gabriel interrupted, “I wasn’t saying that to discourage you from going out with Jesse, I just wanted to let you know.” Jack could believe that, Gabriel had no real reason to give a shit about who Jack dated. However, Jack couldn’t help but feel off put anyways. It wasn’t that Hanzo liked Jesse, it was that Jesse had also liked Hanzo at some point as well. Jack didn’t want to be a rebound boy, so he would have to cancel his date with Jesse. 

Gabriel could tell that Jack had definitely not taken his words of encouragement, and Jack could sense the man’s pity. “You should still give him a chance, don’t let the past scare you away” Gabriel added, standing up from his chair as Jack could hear his footsteps head towards the door. “I’ll be back up in a few hours to feed the kittens, but don’t let it get to your head, really” He insisted, Jack just shrugging before lifting an arm to wave goodbye at the man. 

He wondered why nothing could ever seem to work out for him. Jack was never one to be interested in thoughts of destiny, but ever since that day in July, it was like he could think of nothing else. Life had been tossing Jack every which way, making him feel hopeful one day and miserable the next. He knew how stupid it was, to feel this upset about the history of a guy he barely knew. But it felt as though it was one thing after the other. 

Then of course, his whole “soulmate” dilemma. Jack had always believed in the idea of a soulmate, but had the tendency to believe any guy who was semi-nice to him was his soulmate. His mother was the one who’d told him at a young age that his soulmate was out there, but now he wondered if he even  _ had _ one. Every guy he came across seemed to find someone better, so it was no wonder he was feeling deterred. 

Jack was just tired, there was no other way to describe the feeling. He was tired of feeling somewhat okay before immediately crashing down. His mother had told him good things come to those who wait, but he was  _ tired  _ of waiting too! But the more reasonable part of his brain told him he had no other option.

So he would put on a smile and just wait. He would wait until the very first opportunity, before darting away. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i always love the idea of gabe (and jack) having two cats named reaper and soldier so there you are lmao
> 
> after this point tho, shit is going to get REAL so buckle up! hope u enjoyed, thank you for reading and remember to leave kudos!!!


	15. Chapter 15

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> HI IM SO SORRY THIS TOOK SO LONG AAAAA!
> 
> the holidays rly kicked my butt and then this was supposed to come out last week then wowie jack’s canonly gay! side note how awesome is that? it did definitely make me take a step back tho and analyze how i write gabe and jack in future fics (another side note, a lil sneek peak into my next fic at the end notes!!) 
> 
> i hope u guys enjoy this and im sorry for the wait

Hana  
  
So you’re telling me that the dude you like used to like someone else?  
  
okay well when you put it like that…  
  
Even if he ends up still liking him, you said you just had lukewarm feelings for him right?   
  
yeah but i mean  
  
i just dont wanna be another person before the soulmate   
  
Jack, I love you but seriously  
  
If you use that phrase again I might go insane  
  
EVERYONE is a person before the soulmate  
  
We’ve all dated people and had things not work out  
  
Unless you get lucky and have your first love end up being your life partner, you’ll be a person before the soulmate  
  
i mean, i think i understand that but i’m just tired of it happening constantly  
  
i’m tired of being the secondary character in the romantic comedy i just wanna be the protagonist or love interest for once  
  
But your life isn’t a romcom jackie  
  
And you won’t find prince charming by never leaving the house  
  
I don’t think I’ll find prince charming on grindr either  
  
Maybe not, but you can’t give up before you’ve even tried  
  
I have to run but just remember  
  
We’re all secondary characters in someone else’s story, but you’re the protagonist of your own!   
  
I really doubt anyone would wanna watch or read about my life  
  
¯\\_(ツ)_/¯  
  
??? how did you do that?  
  
did you type that?  
  
byeeeee (Two Hearts )  
  


Jack couldn’t help but think about what Hana had said: that he wouldn’t find prince charming by shutting himself in his room. She was probably right, he wasn’t getting anywhere in concerns to  _ anything  _ by merely hiding from the world. Originally, he was going to tell Gabriel he wasn’t feeling well and couldn’t attend his birthday event, but he knew he would just need to suck it up and go.

Besides, he’d already gotten ready anyways. Jack had been lying in bed in a powder blue button-up shirt and a pair of black jeans for about twenty minutes at that point, waiting for Callum or Gabriel to notify him that everyone’s arrived. He felt like a mess; his hair hadn’t been combed, his dark circles were worse than ever, and he  _ really  _ hadn’t gotten much sleep the night before.

As he expected, there was a soft knock on the door. Jack could tell it was likely Callum, and the voice only confirmed it. “Hey Jack? Gabe and I are ready to head out, I think everyone’s waiting downstairs” He said, a lightly spoken tone accenting his voice. Jack wanted to groan, but was afraid of offending Callum. He practically flopped out of bed, striding towards the door before turning the knob.

He was face to face with the ginger, envelope in hand, beaming up at the man. He was wearing a similar outfit to Jack, with the exception of his shirt color being a light shade of olive.“You look nice” Callum complimented, Jack giving a nod in gratitude. The two strode down the stairs together, Jack gripping onto the railing for dear life as he attempted not to slip on the slick wood. He could feel his stomach begin to turn as the idea of Gabriel’s birthday party was starting to become a reality. Callum couldn’t sense it however, babbling on about how he was so thankful for Jack’s gift idea as they roamed through the hallways and stairways of the house. 

According to Callum, they would all be walking to the bar & grill together as to discourage drunk driving but also because it was so close by. He’d also mentioned that his sister would be coming over to watch the kittens while they were gone. Gabriel had immediately fallen in love with the two kittens as soon as he’d set eyes on them, and as days passed it only grew stronger. It would be odd for Gabriel to  _ not  _ be cooing over the pair at any chance. He’d had a million names for both, despite only one having a real name.

The white one had a plethora of names, including Marshmallow Prince, Cottonball, Cloud Prince, Jack Frost, Coconut Flake, and many more. The black kitten however, already had a set name. He was named Reaper right off the bat, but Gabriel of course had a fair share of nicknames for him as well. Jack’s personal favorite was Reaper the Spooky Space Prince. Of course, Gabriel would only use these names when he  _ thought  _ he was in private. However, he did a bad job at attempting to stay quiet about it. 

Apparently Callum had been having a one-sided conversation with Jack as he spaced out, the blonde man not even realizing they’d gone down two flights of stairs. Once they reached the store, the figures of his supposed friends became clearer through the windowed walls. McCree, Hanzo, and Genji were clearly chatting amongst themselves while Gérard and Gabriel did the same. However, the biggest surprise was Amélie willingly chatting with Gérard. 

And once the two got closer, it was apparent that the corner of Amélie’s wine tinted lips were curved upwards. Callum opened the glass door, stepping out of the way to let Jack through. It was far more suspicious when Amélie’s expression towards Jack was slightly less than a scowl. He supposed he would have to ask Gabriel about that later. However, at that moment, he was far more distracted by Jesse’s ridiculous cowboy hat than Amélie’s softer ambience. 

“Good evenin’, Jack”

“What are you wearing?”

“Uh, a dress shirt...some jeans-“

“I meant the hat”

Jesse looked up with a snort, “Oh this ole’ thing?” Jack couldn’t help but let out a small laugh along with the man. “‘s my special occasions hat, doesn’ look bad does it?” Jesse explained, with an added concern for appearance. He quickly shook his head, “No, I think it suits you.” Jesse shot him a toothy grin in return, Jack giving him a smile back. He promised himself he would drop the idea of Jesse after hearing about Hanzo, but he hadn’t realized how damn  _ charming  _ he was. 

Jack knew for a fact that Jesse wasn’t what he looked for in a life partner, but he found it incredibly difficult to resist his captivation. Even with the fact he looked so out of place in Seattle, it seemed to only make him stand out against the crowd even more. “So what have you been doing?” Jack asked, “outside of work that is.” Jesse grinned, looking almost as if he had been  _ waiting  _ for someone to ask. “Been playin’ a lot of Red Dead Redemption 2, probably one of my favorite games now!” He answered confidently.

_ Oh yeah, that came out a few days ago _

“Can’t imagine why” Jack teased, Jesse chuckling along with him. The group had been standing on the sidewalk in front of the store for a few minutes, aimlessly chatting until Gabriel had garnered their attention. “Everyone ready?” He asked, the group nodding with smiles all around. Gabriel grinned in return, leading the group down the Seattle sidewalks. Jack shoved his hands in his pockets, shivering as the frigid air brushed against his face. He wondered how the kids in their Halloween costumes were managing to hold up, Jack felt as though he’d freeze to death.

“Cold?” Jesse asked teasingly, Jack playfully rolling his eyes with a laugh. “I’ve been inside all day, but I’m surprised you aren’t cold. Gabriel says you’re from New Mexico, right?” He asked, Jesse nodding with a smirk. “Yep, ain’t so warm at night though. Gets down to the teens in the winter sometimes, not even really that hot during the day in the summer” The man answered, “What’s the weather like in Indiana?” He continued.

Jack sighed in an almost reminiscing manner. “Where I’m from, hot humid summers and semi cold winters” He started, “It snows sometimes but not  _ that _ often, and summer storms are pretty common. We have a basement, intended for tornadoes but we normally just use it for storage. It does have a couch though.” It was almost bittersweet, because as much he claimed to hate Indiana, he missed it. 

He missed the hot summer days when he’d work on the farm, either ending up with a farmer’s tan or a gnarly sunburn despite slathering on sunscreen. How his mom would convince him to take a break mid afternoon for sweet tea, the kind that his father hated because of how sugary it was. She would ruffle his hair, no matter how sweaty, and tell him how grateful she was to have raised such a hard worker. Jack would never admit to being homesick however, because it was no longer his home. 

“Never been in a tornado before, ‘s it scary?” Jesse asked, Jack simply shrugging. “Depends on the intensity and if you’ve been through one before, the tornadoes are never really that bad though. They aren’t like Oklahoma or Kansas tornadoes but they do happen” He explained further, “They can really fuck up the crops if they get close enough though.” 

“Did’ja grow up on a farm?”

“Yup, did you?”

Jesse nodded happily, “Was just me and my mom on a tiny farm outside of Santa Fe.” The sun had begun to set over the skyline of buildings, Jack looking up towards the darkening clouds before glancing back towards Jesse. “Exact opposite for me, sort of. Our farm was rather large, it was me, my parents, and my four sisters” Jack said in return, thinking back on his childhood on the farm. 

They’d only walked a block or two down the street, but it had felt like far longer. The cold was beginning to nip at his nose, the chatter of the group beginning to fade in with the background. He’d nearly bumped into children in costumes who were attempting to weave their way through the small crowd as he merely meandered along. “How much longer til we’ll be there?” Jack asked, stifling a small groan. Jesse smirked over at him, “Shouldn’ be too long, you gettin’ too cold?” 

“Just tired of walking is all” He answered, Jesse laughing along before giving him a pat on the shoulder. “Almost there, need me to carry ya?” He teased, Jack sticking out his tongue in response. “Like you could lift me for more than three seconds” He shot back, Jesse placing a hand on his chest with an exaggeratedly offended expression. 

“Wow, underestimatin’ my strength? I’m sure I could lift you for however long I wanted”

“And I could probably lift two of you”

The man snorted, “You sure ‘bout that?” Jack couldn’t help but crack a smile as he shrugged. “Might be a bit of a dramatization, I’ll admit that” He confessed, “but I could definitely lift at least one and a half of you.” Jesse nudged him as he let out a chuckle, “You’ll have to test that sometime.” Jack was about to retort, but it appeared as if they arrived at the bar. The building was nestled in between two others, with a dark layer of what was likely grime and age was cast over the masonry. The group had huddled their way through the entrance, continuing their respective conversations. 

It wasn’t much of a wait, seeing as though it was 7 PM on Halloween. Most people were out at house parties or taking their kids trick or treating, not normally celebrating a birthday. They were seated at the largest table in the dining area, Jack choosing to sit at the end next to Jesse. He was across from Callum, who shot him a soft smile. “Thank you” The ginger mouthed, placing the envelope on the table. Jack simply returned a sheepish smile with a nod. He’d mostly zoned out of the chattering from the table, choosing to focus on ESPN’s overview of previous sports events. 

Apparently the Pacers were playing against the Knicks tonight, he’d have to watch if they were still at the bar by 8. Jack had never paid much attention to basketball until he’d met Gabriel, his dad had always been a football man. Jack’s entire  _ life  _ up until college was almost entirely consumed by the sport, seeing as though his dad was the coach for the West Washington Varsity Football team. Ever since he was a child, he could recall the constant rambling of his father about how the team was doing. How Westbay was a good tackle but had hands of butter, how Smith couldn’t catch a ball to save his life, how he was considering dropping Stock for Russey who would make a  _ far  _ better linebacker. 

And as Jack hit his sophomore year, it was rumored he’d only gotten on the varsity team because of his father. This was  _ not  _ true. His dad made damn well sure that he knew he had no issue dropping him if he was anything less than spectacular, if anything his dad was harder on him than he was on the other players. After Jack did his afternoon farmwork, at home football exercises would take up the next few hours after that. He barely had any time for homework, or for sleep. 

Jack could remember sobbing to his mother in the nurse’s office after collapsing at school, and the argument that ensued between his parents. That was the one night Jack didn’t have to do football exercises, because his father was too busy being screamed at by his mother to have any time. 

_ “For god’s sake John, he’s 16! He needs time to sleep and do his homework! Not do fucking box squats in the yard for six hours! Have you seen his grades recently? He got a 36 on a math test! Oh and you know what I found in his bag? Adderall! Your son is popping pills to even stay awake and keep up with your stupid football regimen! It’s bad enough he has to wake up at 4:00 AM to help on the farm, now he has to stay up til 2 AM doing homework because he never has any time!” _

He shuddered at the thought of that argument, but at least it kept him off adderall for another eight or so years. Jack had to admit, he didn’t know his mom had found adderall in his bag until that argument. It also wasn’t ever brought up again, but Jack had still thrown it away right after that argument. Originally, Jack hadn’t wanted to even  _ see  _ a football after the season ended his senior year. But college football had drawn him in, and he’d ended up playing for another four years. Jack never cared about the glitz and glamor of having his games televised, sometimes being interviewed by a local news station, or having people somewhat know his name. 

He’d always just wanted to play the sport, nothing more. 

“Didn’ see you as a basketball type” 

Jack quickly whipped his head towards Jesse, who was giving him a smirk. “Oh uh, I prefer football. But basketball is still cool” Jack answered, Jesse continuing to grin over at him. “Well you’ve been watchin’ the ESPN basketball coverage for ‘bout five minutes now” Jesse teased, Jack immediately flushing in embarrassment. He’d been zoning out a lot lately, and had beginning to wonder if it was a legitimate issue or not. Jack simply laughed off Jesse’s observations with a shrug, “Just like sports is all.” 

The waitress had come around shortly after, taking drink orders. Most of them had ordered beer, minus Amélie’s red wine and Gabriel’s shirley temple. The entire table had dogged on him for getting a non-alcoholic “girly” drink, but Gabriel had quickly brushed them off. Jack didn’t really care though, because at that moment he was focused on Gérard and Amélie. 

They were sitting next to each other, which normally wouldn’t be weird if they weren’t sitting so  _ close  _ to each other. And from the looks of it, they were having their own private conversation as well. It was weird,  _ really  _ weird actually if Amélie’s previous coldness towards the Frenchman was anything to go by. However, she  _ did  _ seem happier when Jack had first seen her earlier that day. She was also chatting with Gérard then too, so something was definitely up. It wasn’t any of Jack’s business however, so he would have to leave it be. 

It wasn’t long before their drinks arrived, Jack happily accepting his glass of Coors Light. He’d immediately taken a long sip upon receiving, listening in on the conversations between his friends. Apparently Callum was betting on the Knicks to win tonight’s game, Gabriel said it would probably be the Pacers but also said it didn’t matter since the Lakers were better than both. He wasn’t wrong. 

Genji and Jesse were chatting aimlessly over the menu, Hanzo appearing to be listening along as Jack did too. “If I got buffalo wings, would you have some?” Genji asked Jesse, who happily nodded in response. “If you’re offerin’ then sure” He answered, Jack glancing over the menu himself. Truthfully he wasn’t that hungry to begin with, but his wallet was definitely telling him that he wasn’t hungry as well. 

He quietly nursed his beer, watching as Jesse and Genji asked Hanzo about his food opinions for that night. However, Jack was immediately caught off guard as the two quickly turned towards him. “What ‘bout you, Jack?” Jesse asked, Jack simply shrugging as he attempted to think of a quick lie. “Probably nothing, my stomach’s a bit upset” was what he came up with, the brunette giving him a concerned frown. “Sorry to hear that, you okay?” He asked, Jack shrugging as he forced a wide smile.

“Yep, I’m all good” 

Jesse looked rather unconvinced, seeing as though Jack simply  _ radiated  _ discomfort at that moment. He just hoped the other man would chalk it up to his imaginary stomach ache. If he really wanted to be convincing, he’d probably swap out the beer for a glass of water, but Jack was certainly not giving that up seeing as though he was sitting across from his ex and his ex’s boyfriend. He slowly took another sip from his glass, glancing over towards Gabriel who had cleared his throat before smirking at Gérard. 

“So you two…” The man gestured towards the other and Amélie, “have been acting rather cozy tonight.” Jack was immediately intrigued, raising an eyebrow over at the pair who were immediately flushed red. Gérard, however, seemed far more confident compared to Amélie who just pursed her lips before avoiding eye contact. “I guess you can say that, should you tell them  _ chérie _ or should I?” He asked the woman, his statement already having given away their announcement. Amélie buried her face in her hands, as Callum quickly clapped with a grin.

“Aw! Congratulations! I knew you guys would end up together again” He cooed on, Jack stopping himself from rolling his eyes. What did Callum know about Amélie and Gérard? The Frenchman had only returned the month prior, and Jack couldn’t imagine Amélie having anything more than small talk with Callum. Jack knew for a fucking fact he’d never spoken more than a few words to Gérard, seeing as though the only time he’d come over to Gabriel’s was to see Jack. So what could the man  _ possibly  _ know about them?

As the two pairs chatted casually about double dates and other stupid “couples” activities, Jack could feel himself actually growing sick to his stomach. Their plans were almost identical to the ones the four would make together long ago, with cheesy movie nights and visits to local monuments they’d seen plenty of times before. Then of course, wine tasting. Jack wanted to laugh at the thought, wine tastings were fucking boring and all wine tasted the same, no one could tell him otherwise.

He wanted to act as if he was above their adult activities, wanting to simply mask the feeling of exclusion with condescension. However, he’d known that his anxiety had already taken its course and was beginning to fester within him. Why had Gérard and Amélie taken to Callum so easily  _ immediately  _ after getting back together? It wasn’t as if Gérard hadn’t subtly called him boring not long ago. 

Amélie had always been neutral to positive towards him, but why were they suddenly besties now? Why did the topic of regular group outings not come up until this moment? Why was Jack’s place so quickly being filled by someone who was far prettier and  _ far  _ nicer than him?

Why was Jack so easily  _ replaceable? _

His head was reeling and his chest had begun to tighten. Jack knew he needed to get out of there,  _ now.  _ However, he also knew that he would certainly raise eyebrows if he suddenly stormed out. The blonde certainly didn’t want to seem jealous, or upset even though he was probably the latter, maybe a bit of the former. 

He’d come up with a plan however. 

“I’ll be right back” He whispered to Jesse, who looked over at him with concern. “Everythin’ okay?” He whispered back, Jack smiling and nodding before quickly scurrying off. He weaved his way through the restaurant, desperately walking towards the sign that directed his way to the restroom before pushing through the door. He glanced around, checking to see if he was in the company of anyone else. Once assured he was alone, he let out a sigh of relief, leaning up against a grey stall door.

The blonde wanted  _ no one _ to see him in his most vulnerable state, emotional. Never did he want to admit to the fact that he was just a  _ little  _ upset, because every fiber of his being was screaming in denial. Ever since his breakup, Jack had felt far more like a divorceé than a man with an ex. He’d lost everything in a situation that he thought impossible, he’d lost friends, he’d lost the place he called home, he’d lost pieces of himself he was unsure he’d ever regain, and he’d lost the one person he  _ thought  _ he’d spend the rest of his life with. 

He was given the same advice divorceés were given, that it would get worse before it would get better, that starting over would be terrifying, that he would need love and support to get through it, and that it was entirely possible to hate someone you once loved. None of those things had come true or had even  _ happened  _ to him, things had actually gotten better before getting far worse, starting over was more of a chore than a scary event, the only “support” he ever received were in the form of catty comments about his ex, and he couldn’t have a sliver of hatred for Gabriel Reyes even if he tried.

In fact, things would probably be easier if he  _ did _ hate Gabriel. Instead, he was caught in an artificial friendship that was solely to make things more bearable for the other man. Jack couldn’t help but want to laugh at the thought of their “best friends” conversation about a month prior, the man Gabriel was once best friends with was long dead. The bitter part of him would say Gabriel had killed him, but the truth was that  _ Jack  _ was the one to completely tear the person he was to shreds. While the months of hard drugs probably wasn’t much help, Jack had essentially let depression and untreated trauma take over his life to the point of merely being a shell of his former self.

He was beginning to get far too into his head, what Jack  _ really  _ needed at that moment was a nap and a cigarette. He took a deep breath, preparing himself to walk out of the secluded bathroom and back towards the table. The man would likely tell the group that he wasn’t feeling very well and should probably head back. His hand shakily took hold of the cold doorknob, but before he could turn it, the door swung open causing Jack to leap back in a fright.

Jack had come face to face with Gabriel, the other man’s brow furrowed as he frowned. He stood in the doorway, holding the door open with a single hand. “Hey” he offered, the blonde simply nodding in return as he faked a smile. “Jesse told me you weren’t feeling well, so I just wanted to check and make sure you were okay” He explained further, Jack shoving his hands in his pockets as he continued to feign a positive expression.

“Yeah, I think there’s a stomach bug going around at work” He lied, “I think I should probably head back though, don’t wanna get anyone sick or throw up all over the table and ruin your birthday.” Gabriel let out an uncomfortable chuckle, as Jack felt his palms begin to sweat. He’d thought he wanted to leave before, but now he  _ really  _ wanted to leave.

“Do you want me or Callum to walk you back?” Gabriel offered, Jack continuing to widen his faux smile as he shook his head. 

“I’m okay, but thanks” He responded, Gabriel only nodding in answer as he held the door open for the other, moving out of the way. The two walked through the corridors of the restaurant once more, neither saying a word as Jack’s chest began to tighten. Gabriel could sense his discomfort, kindly telling him he doesn’t need to say goodbye and he will inform the table of his departure. 

A faux smile formed on his lips in response, symbolizing a quiet thank you as he quickly rushed out of sight. Once he reached the entrance, he pushed through the glass doors, feeling a sense of relief as the chill air brushed against the apples of his cheeks. His fingers made their way into his back pocket, shamefully pulling out a box of cigarettes and a lighter as he strode down the sidewalk. He could hear footsteps begin to quickly pad behind him, but he couldn’t care to look over his shoulder until his name was shouted.

“Jack!”

He glanced over, eyes meeting with Jesse who gasped for breath as he caught up with the man. “You..you..” He was exasperated, kneeling as he let out a huff. Jack couldn’t help crack a smirk, staring down at Jesse who finally stood up as he patted his own chest. “You weren’t really feelin’ sick, were ya?” He continued, a concerned looked decorating his deep brown eyes. 

Jack quickly flushed as he realized the man had seen through his ruse. “What makes you say that?” He quickly stammered out, shuffling his way towards the wall of a concrete building as he noticed people were walking around the pair. He attempted to hide the carton of cigarettes and lighter in his hand, but it was clear Jesse had already figured him out.

“You weren’t green or lookin’ sick at all throughout dinner, and you only left to go to the bathroom after Gérard and Amélie’s announcement” Jesse explained, “Most sick people also don’t smoke a Marlboro in the middle of the street after leavin’ a social event.” Jack bit his lip as he let out a sigh, there was no possible way for him to fib out of this one. 

“I’m just tired is all, I guess” 

It was closer to the truth than a faux stomach ache, but Jesse still furrowed his brows as he was unconvinced. “Somethin’ about what Gérard and Amélie said bothered you, can you tell me what?” He asked, Jack still glancing down towards his feet as he pressed his lips together. 

“It’s more complicated than what it seems, I don’t want to bother you with it” He claimed, pressing his back against the cold concrete wall as he blanky starred on at the cityscape in front of him. The man pulled back out his carton of cigarettes along with his lighter, Jesse had already figured him out so there was no point in trying to hold back.

“I didn’ take you for a smoker” The other man acknowledged, staring down at the small white and red box as Jack retrieved a cigarette. 

Jack couldn’t help but laugh slightly as he lit the cigarette, taking a drag, “I didn’t take myself for one either until recently.” He wanted to continue to steer away the conversation from Jack’s personal issues, but he could tell Jesse wouldn’t be one to budge. “Alright look, I’ll tell you what’s wrong if you promise not to tell the group about this” He added on, Jesse nodding in agreement. 

The two had moved from their spot against the building, choosing to walk down the sidewalk towards the shop as Jesse waited to hear what the blonde had to say. “You know when like, something happens and the situation in itself doesn’t really piss you off but just what follows is what really gets you?” He started, Jesse tilting his head and slowly nodding as they strolled down the concrete pavement, Jack taking occasional puffs from his cigarette. 

“Sounds pretty vague, but yeah, I guess” 

Jack let out a small chuckle as he shook his head, “I’m not mad Amélie and Gérard are back together, honestly. I’m happy for them, I think they’re good together, and Gérard’s been in love with her for almost a decade now. The day they broke up, he was inconsolable, I’d never seen him that upset before.” He struggled to find the words to explain himself without seeming like a paranoid asshole. 

“I just kinda fucking hate how as soon as they get back together, Gérard chooses to push me aside in favor of going on stupid double dates with Gabriel and Callum” He let out with a heavy sigh. “I just feel replaced, it almost feels like they don’t want to deal with me and my issues so they just choose to get an even whiter and even more catholic guy without emotional trauma to fill my spot instead.” 

Jesse frowned at him, opening his mouth to answer but Jack simply continued to let the words spill from his mouth. “And it fucking  _ hurts  _ knowing that I’m no longer good enough for their fucking exclusive adult inner circle, because I’ve done so fucking much for them over the past decade. Did Gabriel ever tell you that I drove Gérard from Seattle to Chicago so he could confess his love for Amélie? She was considering transferring to SAIC, and Gérard really thought it’d be his last chance to tell her how he felt. And Gérard drove me up the fucking wall for that entire trip, but I’d do it again, because that’s what  _ friends  _ do.”

Jack bit his lip as he attempted to stop himself from getting emotional, “As for Amélie, she had a lot of sleepless nights over something that happened a long time ago, and I won’t go into detail because it’s not my place to say. Sometimes she’d be too afraid of burdening Gérard with her issues, I’d insist that wasn’t the case but I’d go over there in the middle of the night a lot just to make sure she was taking care of herself.” 

The corner of his lips curled upwards into a soft smile as he thought back on the bittersweet memories, “And then of course I’d always be the one to rescue her whenever her car would break down, cause I was really the only one who knew anything about cars.” However as usual, his demeanor had come crashing down as soon as the name was said.

“And Gabriel?”

Jack avoided glancing into the deep brown eyes of the other man, “That’s something I’d rather not get into right now, it’s sort of a lot.” Jesse seemed to understand however as he nodded, the two turning the corner onto the street of the store. Jack took another drag from his cigarette, tapping off the ashes as Jack slowed his speed as they approached the storefront. The other man soon followed suit before stepping towards the front door, Jack fumbling for the keys in his pocket.

Jesse cleared his throat, Jack glancing up as the man slipped a finger under the collar of his shirt before speaking up. “Uh..if you ever, feel comfortable tellin’ me ‘bout stuff like you know...Gabriel and all that, I’m all ears” He stumbled out, Jack moving to respond before the man quickly added on. 

“And if you want, you could totally hang out with Genji and I! He mostly just streams Beat Saber while I watch, but ‘s actually a lot of fun!”

Jack couldn’t help but chuckle at the man’s offer, but of course he’d probably accept at some point even if it was just drinking beer and watching Genji play video games. Perhaps he could see if it’d be okay to invite Hana over, or maybe Lúcio as well when he’s visiting. However, there was only one thing on Jack’s mind at that second,

“We should uh..schedule that date soon” Jack suggested, hesitantly. 

Jesse’s face immediately slipped into a wide grin as he nodded excitedly, “Definitely! I’ll text you when I get back to the restaurant.” 

They exchanged their goodbyes as Jack unlocked the front door to the store, Jack shuffling his way inside as Jesse turned to walk the other way. It seemed as if this was a pattern, where one second Jack would wonder how he could possibly survive Seattle for any longer, and the next he would think things wouldn’t be so bad. He leaned up against the door, staring at the dark sales floor in front of him as he let out a deep breath. 

He just needed to breathe every once in a while, to merely push aside the jealousy and painful nostalgia his old friends would sometimes cause. Jack certainly couldn’t afford to cling onto the past, because it was far past gone for good. If he wanted to be able to survive this living situation for however much longer it lasted, he would need to learn to move on. Perhaps this date with Jesse and a possible friendship with Genji plus a closer one with Hana could be the key? 

Whatever the solution was, as long as Jack was searching for it, he was on the right path. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> so before i go onto my next fic plot (btw it won’t officially start getting 100% worked on til probably chapter 25-26 of this fic so it’s gonna be a little bit) i will mention that there is an ex boyfriend mentioned in the next chapter, but it won’t be vince because this was planned long before and i don’t really feel comfortable just jotting down vince for canon purposes? i need to get a feel for his character before i can write him, so yeah his first appearance in any of my fics will be the next fic i write.
> 
> so without any do, the next fic of mine will be another modern au so i’ll get that out of the way. It was originally going to be an SEP fic but with the recent developments I think that’ll be on hold for a little bit. 
> 
> and so here’s the plot: Starting August 2019, Jack’s beginning his second year of teaching first grade. One of his students is Morella Reyes (aka the woman of the family gabe is watching in reflections), the daughter of a semi-recent divorcée Gabriel Reyes. After noticing her solemn demeanor and poor school work, Jack calls for a parent-teacher conference. Little does he know this meeting will lead to Jack developing a bit of a crush on Gabriel. Too bad Gabriel’s probably straight (lol nope)...
> 
> and Jack has a boyfriend. 
> 
> A few details of this could change as I throw together more ideas but that’s a rough outline! I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter and let me know what you guys think about the fic idea!


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